Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCXCIX

I'm going to give you a list of three names. There are obviously more names on this list than just these three, but for the sake of making my point, I'll just mention three. Here they are: Denise Gulde, Roland Davidson and Stan Davidson. There's one thing all the people on this list have in common: If you have anything negative or derogatory to say about them, you should make sure I don't hear it. The names I mentioned are the names of my sister and my brothers. They are people I love. We stick up for each other. Although Roland is now deceased, I'm thankful for the fifty-six years that he was a part of my life. I'm thankful that Denise and Stan are still in my life. When they hurt, I hurt. When they are happy, I rejoice with them. That's what brothers and sisters do.

The four of us came from the same mom and dad. We grew up in the same home....the same environment. What our parents taught one of us, they taught us all. As a result, we have similar outlooks on life. However, the word I want to focus on in that last statement is the word "similar." I haven't taken the time to see how Webster defines "similar," but I can give you my definition: "Mostly the same, but somewhat different." Yes, even though we were raised in the same home by the same parents, there are a few topics where we may disagree. That, too, is what brothers and sisters do. When we were children, we would place more emphasis on those differences, but now that we've matured, we have learned to focus on the things we have in common.

I'm glad we've learned how to cast our few petty differences aside and concentrate on the areas where we agree. Life is so much easier that way, and we can get so much more accomplished. It should set an example for us to follow in other areas of our lives. If I'm waiting on the candidate whose philosophy is in one hundred per cent agreement with mine, I'll be waiting a while. If I can only share a pew at church with someone who sees everything the way I do, I may have to sit alone. If I can only go out to eat with friends who are willing to eat at the restaurant of MY choice, I may end up eating by myself. You see, God only made one of me, and He only made one of you. Here's a thought: What if I vote for the candidate whose philosophy is "similar" to mine? Or what if I go to church with people whose convictions are "similar" to mine?

At the time I'm writing this, my brother, sister and I are planning a family getaway in some remote place in the mountains of North Georgia. I have no doubt in my mind that we'll make the necessary compromises to come up with a date and a location for this event, but whatever we decide may not be the first choice of any of us. All I know is we'll make it work, and we're all gonna have a good time. That's what brothers and sisters do. I can be their brother without being their identical twin.

Preston