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| Fuzz, Skinny and a bonus shot of Party Girl |
Skinny is one of our winter birthday guys and turned 14 the last day of 2012. He's our oldest blue-eyed boy and our blondie. (Yes, we did wait and wait and wait for his baby eyes to turn brown.) He's hoping to shed his braces by the middle of summer this year. Electronics, mechanics, explosions and archery are his current interests. But his lifelong drive has been interaction with others. He likes to read, work with his hands, and many other things, but his real love is people. The life of a hermit would certainly fulfill the dream-of-every-14yo-boy (no need to shower ever again) but Skinny would shrivel away for lack of relationship.
And then there is your bonus look at Party Girl's mug. Eh. She made the picture more balanced.
And that's our whole family!
Throughout the years, something has developed. It started out as simple as a three-strand cord but is now grown to be more complicated and immeasurably strong.
It's relationship.
Family is made of relating people. Community is, too. It seem that all things foundational in society are built on relationship.
In my experience, most significant life change happens within relationship. We learn best with people we trust. Fear happens when relationship experiences some sort of threat. We're made to share, and in that sharing, all other things can happen.
It's a big and pretty ethereal topic. I've never been very good at articulating this particular aspect of our family. I use terms like:
As you read what I write, keep an eye out for this concept. I'll try to point it out, too. AND, point it out to me when you see it or think you see it. Thanks!
Throughout the years, something has developed. It started out as simple as a three-strand cord but is now grown to be more complicated and immeasurably strong.
It's relationship.
Family is made of relating people. Community is, too. It seem that all things foundational in society are built on relationship.
In my experience, most significant life change happens within relationship. We learn best with people we trust. Fear happens when relationship experiences some sort of threat. We're made to share, and in that sharing, all other things can happen.
It's a big and pretty ethereal topic. I've never been very good at articulating this particular aspect of our family. I use terms like:
- Team
- Buddy
- Clan
- Helper
- Neighbor
As you read what I write, keep an eye out for this concept. I'll try to point it out, too. AND, point it out to me when you see it or think you see it. Thanks!
Editor's note:I have had intense Grammar Pains with this post. "Relationship" is a noun most commonly used with an article (i.e. the relationship between peers.)Yet I find myself using it in this sense in the same way that the word "community" is often used (i.e. a sense of community among the employees). These Grammar Pains were severe enough that I missed my self-imposed, unexpressed deadline for publishing this post. Yet, I'm going to keep the word usage as is. If it causes you to twitch uncontrollably, I apologize. Please consider commenting to such effect. There may be enough that you all could get cut-rate group therapy.
I'm twitching like a chicken with it's head cut off. But really...I love your grammatical use of "relationship" and am enjoying reading this!
ReplyDeleteYa' know - there should be some way to use that sort of twitch toward an advantage. Like a battery operated baby swing only more green.
DeleteThanks for reading, Gredecki! I hope I can be interesting as time goes on, too! With minimal twitch responses.
just read the next blog entry. eating the toffee you posted on will soothe the twitchy beast and make you forget the definition of the word "grammar."
ReplyDeleteor they can read my comments, where i generally try to remember to forget capitalization. this might distract them enough not to notice your post.
~e.e. cummings
it's a good thing. there really is probably a shortage on capital letters and you are just being resourceful. or somethin'.
Delete