Word of the Month January 2020

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation."

Brian Tracy

January Word of the Month

HONESTY

1 adherence to the facts 

: fairness and straightforwardness of conduct

Quite often I hear from friends who take some time out of their busy days to read my emails.One of the comments I have heard time and time again is that they appreciate how open and honest I am when I write.I hear comments ranging from thanks for sharing to thanks for putting that out there and I wish I had said that. At times I have even received a TMI!I love it!

The truth of the matter is there are often times when I feel like I am being less than honest or less than forthcoming. There are a number of topics that I always try and stay away from. You know the ones that you are warned never to discuss at the Thanksgiving dinner table. I am more than comfortable keeping those opinions to myself.My concern over my lack of candor comes more from things about my life that I haven't shared with you. Some are minor and petty and serve little or no purpose so I rarely bring them up. There are a few, a small few, that are major happenings in my world, yet for some unknown reason I have chosen to keep to myself.In retrospect, I am not sure if mentioning them would have been me just griping and grousing or if in fact,putting them out in the open would be an opportunity for change.I am starting to believe that maybe I am doing myself a disservice by holding these back.In the words of Justice Louis Brandeis"Sunlight is the best disinfectant".Trust me, there are more than a few areas of my life that could use a good cleaning!

I kind of hinted around one yesterday when I mentioned the work that we started on the house last week. I received a number of texts and emails congratulating me on my sister finally moving out.For those of you who are not privy to what I am talking about,over 5 years ago, I opened my house up to my sister. Plain and simple,she was homeless.What seemed like the only honorable thing to do at that time has not quite worked out as I had hoped. While I assumed that giving her a safe space to get healthy,regroup ,and recuperate would be a launching point for her,she has chosen a different path.The strain that this has put on my family and my relationships is unimaginable.My enabling has alienated dozens of people in my life. It has reached the breaking point. Deadline after deadline for her to leave have come and gone. We have agreed that the end of the month is the end. We've been here before.The difference this time is that I am not waiting to move on. Hence, the wall to her room has started to come down. By the end of the month, the room as it now is, will not exist. I must move on,and so must she.

So there you have it. An honest accounting and after all Honest is the best policy!