I can believe it is almost Thanksgiving and we are gearing up for the season of family gatherings.
For some, family gatherings can be stressful. Sometimes family means judgment, drama, guilt, shame, and fear of acceptance.
I read something posted by Gabby Bernstein from her book Judgment Detox. She said, “The most loving thing we can do for someone is to accept them.”
I feel this is appropriate as we go into the holiday season. Is there someone in your family you want to help, but they don’t listen? Maybe you feel you can give advice to help them make better decisions? But they are not open to hear you.
Do you know one of the biggest ways to help is to just accept them for where they are, listen to them, and make sure they know you love them.
Just to note, if someone is in danger of hurting themselves, hurting others, or in an abusive relationship, please encourage them to accept the help they need. What I’m talking about here are the choices you know will lead them down the wrong path.
It is difficult to watch loved one’s struggle. If you feel your life experience can help them, it can be frustrating when they are not open to take your advice. But one of the most important things I have learned in my life is you cannot change or control other people.
Each of us change when our time is right. I know throughout my life I have made decisions that were not the best for me, even when my mom told me to do the opposite. [Love you mom] If I listened, it could have saved myself some heartache, but then again, I wouldn’t be here today. As we’ve talked about before, we each have our path to walk.
Sometimes our poor choices can lead to our greatest lesson.
The best way to help someone we love is to just be there for them, accept them for who they are and love them. In Gabby’s article, she wrote, “Recognize you can’t deprive someone of hitting bottom.”
How crazy is that statement? How right is it?
Often we want to ‘save’ someone from the hurt or heartache we see them headed towards. And sometimes we can help, but they have to be open, ready to listen and change their course.
For this holiday season, I encourage you to open your heart to accept and love. Accept your friends and family for who they are. Love them and embrace them where they are. Be a place of comfort and peace for them.
Turn your worry for them into prayer and know God will take care of them. There are times we have to walk the path of tough life experiences to make us who we need to be in our future.
Trust God has a plan. Accept them. Love them. Be the place of peace for them. iChoose Peace and Love.
Sending peace, love and joy to you my friend. Sam
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