I just don't have fond memories of the holidays growing up.
and now as an adult,
the holidays are filled with my right wing
christian conservative siblings
who will put $50 in the collection plate at church twice a week
but won't help me out when I'm down.
who will help a fellow church member get a job
but won't even consult me on jobs which I am fully qualified about.
and who despite all of this TENSION
expect me to come over to their houses and smile
while my niece and nephew open $750 worth of presents each.
and whose idea of the perfect present for me entails
a box of life savers and a nail trimming kit
no, they don't owe me anything
but I don't appreciate them flaunting the success every time I come around
TENSION? No
what have I got to be tense about?
out of work for almost a year
no health insurance
no high blood pressure medication
$6,000 worth of undone dental work
a pain in the butt sleeping on our coach
tension? what tension?
If I write a poem, it's just a poem.
I spent over twenty years in therapy
with two (2) stated goals:
- To learn to love myself
- To learn to be assertive (stand up for myself)
I achieved those goals handily.
I love myself, I can look myself in the mirror
and I say what I mean, to avoid walking around being
passive/aggressive (and all that entails)
- I love gather
- I love my Gather friends
but sometimes a poem is just a poem
------------------------------
I found gather while I waited
for another page to load
my emotions they are a sated
on social networking I am a sold!
-fr41trek-
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Comments: 40
There's nothing wrong with skipping the family drama at holiday time. Hold a potluck at your place or volunteer at a nursing home or shelter if you want to be out of the house that day.
just needed to vent
to avoid being passive / aggressive
I love the poem you wrote!
MJ ???? W.
we have turkey and ham with all the trimmings
and I volunteer my time and some of my clothes to people in need
we even have year long counseling for free!
Nora Davenport
hey, thanks
and I would not turn down a bus or train ticket from anyone!
it would be good to get away for a while
:)
There are 3 kinds of family - #1 the family members you like; #2 the ones you don't like and #3 the ones you get to pick out of the people you are closest too (friends). There have been times in the past 20+ years, where those ties (#3) have been stronger than the other two types.
{{{Fred}}}
Pick another holiday and enjoy it to the hilt. Or, here, have a Merry Christmas from all of us on Gather instead of all the old memories.
Come on over to the bright side and enjoy the Winter Solstice, dancing around the fire and drinking warm mulled wine.
Peace,
libramoon
Julie (always did love rainbows!) G.
I have peace of mind and spirit
primarily because I don't hold in my emotions
Feel sorry for them. They do for others to see. "look at me and how holly I am" mentality. While you are learning first hand what they are reading, studying and misunderstanding in there church.
Do you think these family members will get into there heaven they believe so much in being this way? Or do you think the humbled, struggling soul who knows what it is like to go without will? If that is you believe in the same bible, religion who made your family members.
Feel sorry for them. They will miss the "boat" and will stand on the dock scratching there heads proclaiming they did everything they thought they were supposed to be doing. All while wasting there time and effort for people like this will not learn but for the hard way.
You will do ok. Your a survivor. Stay away from these nasty people. Just because they have the same blood running through there veins dose not mean you can't find a loving, compassionate, good people elsewhere to make into your family, right?
Who needs them! As they believe, "if the right hand offends thee, cut it off". One thing I do like about there bible is, it is full of metaphors lol.
Have a good day k.