Real is Rare

 Personal relationships were a lot easier when I was little. I had parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends I could trust and count on. I was raised to follow the golden rule and treat everyone with whom I came into contact with courtesy, dignity, and respect. It's something that I still adhere to today.

Maintaining personal relationships can be difficult, even in this age of the Internet and social media. We have so many things trying to get our attention. Some are more important than others, but the people who care for you will show you that they care over time. 

I'm very thankful for the people that I can rely on. Some of them are closer to me than actual blood relatives. I've learned to differentiate between those who are blessings and others who are nothing more than burdens. 

Whenever I meet someone new, I try to keep an open mind. I've met some truly amazing individuals. I've also met some people who are quite attractive on the outside but turn out to be very ugly human beings on the inside. 

I've definitely been burned by some people in the past. As much as I dislike what happened, those experiences have shaped me into the adult that I am now. I learned my limits and what I'm willing to accept and reject.

I'll always be true to those who matter to me, but I'm not going to bend over backward for people all the time. I'm not going to make an effort for those who don't and I certainly won't keep giving for those who consistently take far more than they ever give. 

I know that there are people who will never reciprocate or show me the same kindness and courtesy that I've shown them. I'm okay with that. I'll just focus on those who treat me how I want to be treated and make myself more of a priority in my own life. I can't let others take advantage of me, ignore me, or take me for granted anymore. Life's too short to allow shallow, narcissistic people like that to get into my head and make life miserable. 

There are some great genuine people in my circle, who I treasure each and every day. They make me remember why life is worth living. Real people like that have been increasingly rare nowadays. It's rather amazing how social media has brought forth so many profiles of people who are nothing like their online personas. 

Just had to get that off my chest. I've been removing people that I don't connect with from my life, and I guess it's something that I need to do more of. After all, it's the quality, not the quantity of the individuals in your circle that really matters.

Well, that's all for now. Until next time, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.