Life is short, too short, we don't think about that much, it's not something we ponder on a daily basis but it is a very real concept that regardless of us acknowledging it or not, guides many aspects and decisions we make in our lives. The more one is aware of death and the eventuality of it coming the more one can truly begin to live. Being aware of death doesn't mean living scared of what tomorrow might bring or giving up on the world and doing nothing, being aware of death means living life to the fullest everyday, waking up and facing life head on with new expectations and the readiness to pursue your dreams. Being aware of how little time we all have on this Earth opens our eyes to the things that truly matter, the things that will make our lives grand and allow us to live a life worth re-living.
Family is the first thing that should pop into your head as we engage this topic, family is one of the most important aspects of life, it's a beautiful, complicated mess that brings rewards with it that nothing else in this world can bring. Maybe some of you don't have a biological family but have built your own group that serves as a family, people that love you and will forever be there for you, these people make life worth while. These are not the people that you don't have fights with, no, these people know you, they lived with you, they understand who you are and love you deeper than anyone else in the world loves you, so yes, there will be fights.
There is no true friendship either in family on between close friends that is ever truly real without at one point there being a sharing of hatred between you two. At one point a decision had to be made, hearts were hurt and prides were shattered, and both of you were thrown against a wall and told to make a decision, fight to make this friendship work or give up and break this friendship forever. In family 9/10 times you have no choice so you forgive the other person and through this process you grow closer, conflict brings people together, even personal conflict, but with friends outside of family this forgiveness isn't mandatory hence why when it is done both friends share a love and respect for one another that is unique in it's own way, a respect that will last a lifetime.
It is through truth that real relationships are made, this might seem like a simple concept but it isn't, most friends aren't honest with one another. You might have thought before "man, my best friend and I have never had a really big fight", yeah well, when honesty is not part of a friendship you definitely won't fight. Truth here is meant as one person being honest with the other about his or her own feelings, this is not about offending one another but being able to call each other out on your flaws, true friends help each other grow, that does not happen without a few fights along the way. This is the same concept about family, true growth comes from families helping each other grow, this is why one fights with parents a lot, because till you find a friend that call you out on your crap it is your parent's job to make sure you know you are not perfect, its not an easy job to say the least.
Look around yourself today and acknowledge the people that have been there for you during your life, guiding you, inspiring you, challenging you, helping you grow, and tell them thank you, thank them for being there, most people never get a chance to thank their close friends and family for always being there. It's not a malicious sense of non-gratitude that causes people to not be open, it's just a sense of not seeing what's in front of you, not recognizing the blessings within your own life. So hug your family and tell them you love them, phone your close friends and do the same, sit down with them and have heart to heart conversations about life, for life is short, and this, in the end of the day is what matters most, loving the people around you, and living in a lifestyle of love.
Love from your humble blogger,
