Mmmm… I love being “awake” enough to see that when someone’s behavior is bothering me it is often a reflection of behavior I have engaged in that was completely unbecoming of my essence. I got this lesson recently wrapped in impatience, intolerance, and a mood being completely dictated by giving away one’s power to another human. I have done this so I know what was happening. I realized how precious time is, especially with people who love us. However, how often do we choose to take that for granted and opt to pay attention to our tv, internet, facebook, text, new friends/love interest- anything that does not have an emotional investment in us? Perhaps it is truly coming from our place of need and lack that we dive head first into the scarcity mentality of “take what I can get while I can get it” because the other person who has a deep emotional investment in me will always be there for me. But will they be?

I heard someone talk about their holidays and how hard it is to be around the family. What if we visualized the ideal scenario instead? What if we invested energy into making ourselves feel good and imagining how juicy life would be if those people bound to us by blood or long time friendships were equally happy? What if avoiding, we just dove head first into making these same people feel so loved and wanted that they were swimming in warm-fuzzies? Really, though, what do you think would happen? Could you try it? Would you try it? I dare you!

While you are at it, remember that the people who love you need you, too. Make time for them without expecting them to simply always be there for you. Listen to them the way you want to be listened to. Love them the way you want to be loved. Life is precious and short. One day, in the not to distant future, you won’t have the opportunity to laugh, cry, hug, or get in trouble together.