The Golden Rule

This seems like such a simple concept. I mean, I totally know how I want to be treated. I want to be forgiven quickly and completely. I want others to have patience with my shortcomings. I want the people I live and work with to understand that sometimes I just have a bad day. I want the people in my life to believe the best about me.  I want my value to be based on who I am, rather than for what I do. When I am angry, sad, frustrated, or otherwise upset, I want sympathy and understanding and compassion. I want the people I love to take a moment to let me know that they love me. Above everything else, I want to be understood and not judged. I want to be appreciated for my strengths and not belittled for my weaknesses. I know where I fall short; I need someone to remind me of the areas where I excel.

I believe that God chose me to be my husband's wife and my children's mom. I believe He placed me in the office I work in with the people I work with. I believe He chose my sister, brothers, nieces, nephews, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I believe He placed my family in our church. I believe that God expects me to serve all the people He has placed in my life....but not to serve them all the same way.

I truly believe that my best, my very best, should be saved for those God has placed in my care. They deserve the best of my patience, the best of my laughter, the best of my affection, the best of my smiles, the best of my imagination, the best of my sympathy, the best of my understanding, the best of my attention, the best of my forgiveness, the best of my creativity, the best of my cooking, the best of my cleaning, the best of my encouragement, the best of my...the best of me.

For so long, I thought that I had to give my best to everyone or I would be a failure. I realize now that I set myself up to fail by trying to give the best of me to everyone. There's not enough "best" to go around. From now on, everyone gets some, but the 3 people God gave me to care for get the best. If I have a bad day and have little to give, then my husband and my kiddos will get that little bit. I am going to strive to save some "me" for them at the end of the day rather than coming home completely spent...

At the end of the day, I am going to forgive them quickly and completely. I will have patience with their shortcomings. I will understand that sometimes they just have a bad day. I will believe the best about them.  I'll base their value on who they are, rather than on what they do. When they are angry, sad, frustrated, or otherwise upset, I will offer sympathy and understanding and compassion. I will take a moment to let them know that I love them. Above everything else, I will strive to always understand and not judge. I will appreciate them for their strengths and not belittle them for their weaknesses. They know where they fall short; they need someone to remind them of the areas where they excel...and I want to be that someone...

after all, that's how I want them to treat me.