Privileges, not Rights

We have almost all said it at one time or another, sometimes on multiple occasions, 'I wish I knew now what I knew then.'  Let me tell you, nothing could be more true for me these days!

Much of my free time these days are spent thinking  about all the things I wish I had done when I had the chance!  If I had been wiser and more disciplined I probably could have, I at one time had the means if I set my mind to it to do just about anything but alas those days are gone and apt to never return.

More so time is spent thinking about the things I did do but would have done differently!  There are tons of them to say the least!  For the most part, the things I would do differently are the way I have interacted with people.  For the most part, I have been honest and true to those I come into contact.  As I have grown older my words, thoughts and actions towards others has become more compassionate and true, definitely less selfish.

There are a lot of people in my life that I do or have called friend.  As it turns out many of them were only acquaintances to some where wanna be friends.  In some instances, I wasted my true friends, and some times family on these so called friends.  Looking back there were some people who were true friends and I let the friendship go by the wayside often times for my own selfish pursuits and reasons, the same can be said of some family too.

It took me a long time to realize that family and friends are privileges and not rights.  Of course, some people only come into our lives for a time, to fill a purpose.  Looking back I can identify some of those, but in many instances I confused the two.  In the end I have lost a lot of good friends!  Some times though the decision to part ways, for whatever reason was theirs but still the loss is the same.

Family to a large extent is the same, we expect them to always be there.  It is important to remember that family too is a privilege and not a right.  Even though they will always be our family through blood, they do not have to accept us or treat us as their own.   We always expect family to be there for us but it does not necessarily have to be the case, and often times is not!

Relationships don't just happen and remain forever!  They require care and nurturing, things as well as space to go grow and thrive.  Given not enough or too much and they will die.  Make it too one sided and they will die as well.  As in life, it requires balance.  Learning the balance required is not always easy, if ever truly learned.  The absence of friends in your life is as detrimental to your health as smoking or being overweight.