Gobble Gobble GULP! - It's Family Time!

And JUST like that, Summer has given way to Fall and all its colourful splendour and the beginning of the 'Family Dinner' Holidays. The very first being Thanksgiving. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! 

This is probably the first Family event in a while for many of us. What FUN!

Family has got to be one of the biggest sources of happiness and grief at the very same darn time. How does that happen?

Our family know us well, we know them well. We did away with polite pleasantries and gave in to the 'in your face' level of communication with them years ago, pretty much about the time we started to speak actual words. Family frustrate us, yet comfort us. They infuriate us, yet provide support when we need it the most. Someone says the wrong thing, the very same wrong thing that they always say, that EVERYONE knows, except them, that they shouldn't say. Then someone says something that we have so needed to hear, our hearts melt with the 'familiarity' and love that surrounds us. 

Our family can drive us crazy one minute, and then be the thing we are most thankful for the next.

This year, let those extreme opposites just exist as they are. Life is at its best in  Balance. A Balance of Joy and Grief, Happiness and Sadness, Pulling towards and Pushing away. Whatever the scale of emotions, let the polarities exist as they are.

Where we as Humans get into trouble is when we start to control the nature of things. When we try to avoid, deny, ignore and resist. These things get us into trouble, into fights and into the wine.

Try a side of acceptance with your Turkey this weekend. Accept the way things are, and at whatever weird and wonderful way they happen to be presenting in each moment. Accept who you are, and accept  those crazy people who you are sure you are NOTHING like (oh ya, that denial thing again) and accept the dynamics that just ARE.

Acceptance is never about 'condoning' behaviour that may  be inappropriate  because god knows there is lots of that in family dynamics. Acceptance is simply a lack of judgement. And having no judgement frees you up to just 'BE' in each moment as it is without having to solve all the issues apparent all the time.

Save the world another day ~ this weekend, just accept and be most thankful for the bounty of love, craziness, support and irritation that surround you in the guise of FAMILY.

Love the opposites, and love the Balance. It truly is what makes life interesting, real and full of passion!

I mean, there IS a reason we all love the cartoon families like 'Family Guy' and ' The Simpsons' 

DoH!!

What are some of your love/hate family moments?