Family Rules - Thanksgiving 2020

This Picture [of the article] was captured at a crafts store. The picture states artistically “Family Rules - Always tell the truth, Work hard, Keep your promises, Try new things and don’t whine, Laugh out loud, Always say I love you, Use kind words and do your best, Be grateful and be kind, Be proud of yourself, Say please and thank you, and Remember you’re loved.” Given that Thanksgiving 2020 in the U.S.A is right around the corner [November 27, 2020], let’s delve into what we’re thankful for when it comes to our respective families.

Family Rules

What’s a family, and what are rules? A family, simply defined, are those individuals or persons you hold dear and near; regardless of blood relations. Blood relations is merely a factor that has long been used in assessing a family. Rules are merely guidelines to bring about order. As such, the following are 11 guidelines that bring about cohesion in a family. For the most part, they’re universal. Let’s dig in.

Always Tell The Truth

In streams of probabilities, telling the truth is always almost a positive net-gain than negative gain. As such, it’s always the better thing to do. If you’re a Christian, you’re discipled to always speak the truth. For the father of lies is the evil one, so you do not want to be aligned with him. God detests lies in all forms. In the Courtroom, you swear to tell nothing but the truth. In short, honesty is the way to go. One is always better for it; a family as a group is always better for it. In a family setting, it pays to always tell the truth.

Work Hard

None is born with entitlement. One must be worth their cent. In other words, hard work pays. Working smart is even better. Working smart includes working hard. Working hard equals applying yourself. Applying yourself at whatever you do, wherever you find yourself. Hard work promotes, especially in a family setting.

Keep Your Promises

There’s an old saying ‘My word is bond.’ Then you shake hands on it. Keeping a promise is a beautiful thing. I read somewhere a while back that ‘Honesty is a rare gift. Don’t expect it to come from cheap people.’ Keeping a promise is becoming a rare commodity in modern culture. This is one trait that is bound to keep a family together and to make the family stronger. Promises not kept stifles trust. Promises not kept loosens the bonds of the family, it thus becomes less of a family.

Try New Things. Don’t Whine

I love this rule. It’s one of my favorites. I’m very adventurous, so naturally, I exude that quality around whoever I might find myself. The more intimate I’m with the person or persons, the likely they’re to know about my adventurous side. Trying new things is always a good thing. It’s fun.

The flip side of this rule is don’t whine. I hate whining. I hate it with passion. I don’t even like it as a joke. It certainly kills the mood in a family. It even slowly loosens the bonds of a strong family. Less whining is always a good thing.

Laugh Out Loud

Laughing is medicine. It’s a prescription that will do any family good, even the Grinch’s family. Personally, I wish I laughed more. I seek opportunities to laugh. It can lighten the cares that so burden our daily lives. Laugh out loud indeed. Make it infectious. Truly, laugh more. It strengthens your family, it builds your family, it makes your family resilient even in difficult times. I love it when laughter is shared in my family.

Always Say I Love You

Yet another one of my favorite rules. One could never say I love you enough. Love is what bonds family together, it's the glue that holds it together. To say it as much as is necessary serves merely as a reminder of what holds the family together. There are many family relations that lack this rule. Say it today, say it NOW to someone you unreservedly care about. Them hearing it alone heals more than you'll ever fathom. You saying it alone heals more than you’ll ever fathom. Say it more, say it NOW.

Use Kind Words. Do Your Best

Oh man, this rule is honey. Many fractured relations could've been saved by the mere use of kind words. No matter how difficult the situation, kind words always save the day. Courtesy or courteousness is rare nowadays. Always do your best, use kind words, and leave the rest to providence. Providence always has a way of making lemonade out of lemons. Doing your best always guarantees that you’ll always progress or advance in whatever you do or are doing.

Be Grateful. Be Kind

Gratefulness is a way of life. Personally, I aspire to live this way everyday. This type of lifestyle does not have room for Whining. Being grateful and expressing gratitude does not mean things are always perfect. But you beget what you think and utter. Gratitude brings more of that which you’ll be grateful about. Whining begets its children as well. I choose being grateful.

To be kind is to be human. If you’re not kind most times in your life, you’ve never lived. Being kind even has a healing effect beyond the act. Not only can being kind make a person’s day, it can change a person’s life. We’re all recipients of someone’s kindness. We must extend the same.

These pair of family rules certainly fortify a family.

Be Proud Of Yourself

A pat on the back has never hurt anyone. Matter of fact, it’s a necessary encouragement. Sometimes, the pat comes from others; on occasions, it must come from you. A friend of mine (he’s family) is fond of giving himself ‘five’ all the time. It’s comical to see him giving himself ‘five’ and talking to himself and encouraging himself, but it’s a necessary truth. We all need that. If not us, then who? The line can be blurry when it comes to being conceited or being proud of oneself and doing so with humility. But it can be done, and must be done. It’s a necessary family rule. It augments and benefits the family. Slight nuance, but an important distinction. Proud of oneself or another is not the same as pride where you think you’re the alpha and omega. Pride is ugly. God doesn't like ugly.

Say Please and Thank You

I live and die by these pair of rules. For the most part, I believe I’ve done well with this rule. But there’s always room for improvement. Saying Please and Thank You is 50% of the battle in life. It can get you access, and it can smooth your journey. Abiding by these rules means that you’re cultured (for the most part), that you’re raised well. It’s a sign of kudos for the family from which you hail. And to think that it cost nothing, and I mean nothing to say Please and Thank You. From whatever angle you look at it, these rules benefit ALL in the family.

Remember You Are LOVED

Oh man, this rule is on point. The entire point of a familial relationship is that one is loved without reservation or condition. That one feels that they belong. This is love, true love. It is IMPERATIVE that each member of the family knows with no UNCERTAIN terms that they’re loved, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED. Remind each other and one another of this rule, say it, repeat it.

I’ll certainly be discussing these rules with my family over Thanksgiving this year. What will you be doing with your family on Thanksgiving this year? A family tradition on Thanksgiving is that we go around the table and share what we’re grateful for during the course of the year. We do this even with guests who join us for Thanksgiving. What are some of your Thanksgiving traditions? Feel free to borrow, feel free to share. Happy Thanksgiving! I’m certainly grateful that you’ve taken the time to read this article. Stay blessed!

Quote of the Week:

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” - John F. Kennedy

Book of the Month:

“Reading is to the mind as exercise is to the body.” - Joseph Addison

Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life, Ozan Varol. (A classic. Thinking out of the box).

#lifestyle #habits #change