Affirmations:
I live with love for all humanity, including my family.
I release the need to hold judgments about others.
I am free of my past and choose love everyday.
I have learned past lessons and moved on.
Family Love
Love for family is not always easy.
There are lessons to be learned with family.
Familiarity does not always make it easy to love.
Family history can create regrets and resentment.
Family life may not be fun, safe or easy.
Memories may not be enjoyable or kind.
Communications may be strained or absent.
And still we are called to extend peace and love.
There may have been rejection or abandonment.
There may have been abuse and neglect.
There may continue to be judgment and comparison.
And still we are asked to forgive and forget.
What can you do to free yourself from the pain of the past?
What are you to do to let go of the hatred and bitterness?
What can you do to dump your own toxic waste?
What can you do to open yourself to kindness and respect?
Letting go of what was is easier than you might think.
Beginning to rise above the hurt and pain to begin again is essential.
Learning to erase the past with love sets you free to fully be alive.
Dumping the remnants and reminders is like taking out the stinking trash.
Families are made of people who each have their own lessons to learn.
Each person has their life history which they usually keep repeating.
We can become the person who feels and heals ourselves.
We can clean up our own garbage and maintain kind thoughts, respectful words and honorable behavior.
We can be the One we admire.
We can demonstrate a better way.
We can love no matter what.
We can forgive and choose again.
Forgiveness is the key to our own happiness.
Forgiving the past can release us to creative future.
Relinquishing the hurtful stories can free us from re-wounding.
Letting go of the trash of the past opens the way to our own rewarding future.
We may not need to do anything but let go of our own pain.
We may not feel called to connect or communicate but treat all with respect.
We can begin again where we are to build the family we desire.
Release the past, change your attitude and begin again where you are.
Respecting you in living true to what is right and good and healthy for you.
Loving you, Betty Lue
I have learned: Never Quit On Love.
ANYWAY
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends
and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, there may be jealousy;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
Mother Theresa
Adapted from Paradoxical Commandments by Kent Keith