One is dipped in honey, the other, poison
as you get closer to family, and their vulnerabilities
love is required.
Without love, we can’t share ourselves, with each other
and if family doesn’t share, equally, resentment is a poison.
I walked into a house, the other day
and I was part of their family
what a blessing, to feel valued
to feel, special, like one who belongs.
It wasn’t, what I could do for them
I was just welcome
there is no greater gift than that
they were glad to have me there.
My other family
tells me they don’t like people, and they pretend they do
when I arrive, they don’t look at me, they don’t ask me questions
they make superficial conversation, in a perfect way
then they go outside
and I don’t feel welcome
they aren’t fooling anyone
they speak of their careers, and how they outsmart their bosses
how they get the promotion, and watch the pained expressions
the triumph of arrogance, and conceit
is obvious
competition, is their only communication.
My other family, talks about how they can help others
they save one person at a time
they get to know homeless people, on the street
and invite them in, for dinner.
My other family, talks about how they need to argue
their political opinion, and convince people of the truth
Brothers and Sisters, there is only one obvious truth
and that’s how you make people feel
Love, is obvious
any cleverness or ego or pretending
is foolish.
I wonder, who I want to be
I spend more time with one family, than the other
I’m already 50 percent poison.
We get to choose our family, as we get older
and we make our own, from what we know
It’s a blessing, to get to know
this other family
that makes families
welcoming people, into their home.
If the world did this, it would love itself.
A very insightful, albeit sad, commentary on family.
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Thanks Liz! Yeah, I felt sad when I wrote it. Getting along with family can be difficult, but it’s important. Sometimes it takes a lot of self-control, and making the choice to love people. Often, not easy to do.
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You’re welcome, Andy. What seemed to happen in my family is that as we all got older, it was easier to forgive and forget the old resentments.
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That is something to hope for. 🙂
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This is so insightful, and very true…
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Thanks Books and Bonsai! And I really like your name! 🙂
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Thank you!
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