Appreciation

I just came across this statement this morning and I find it to ring very true in my own life, but it may not be for the reasons as you see it. This entry today may sound more like a rant as opposed to my other entries, but it's nothing more than me standing up for what I believe we Fibromites should all have in our lives.

Relationships are truly important. You have family relationships, friendships, partnerships, working relationships, and the list goes on of important people in your life.

In today's society it seems we have many, many people that think our time means very little. I've personally spent countless hours driving all over New England for middle school band concerts, middle school basketball games and tournaments, school projects, school functions, and the like. Each one of these things had a person in charge who expected many, many hours of dedication from my child with little regard to the parent who had to supply the ride, time, and money to pay these people for such an event.

When you work at a job in today's society, many of the bosses seem to feel that if you are getting paid, you should be available on call for whenever they need you instead of working a set schedule.  My husband and I have both worked for places that expected 18 hours/day of work 5-6 days a week and did not provide us with maids or landscapers for our homes that we neglected for them to have a body at their establishment so they could (in my case) get their nails done.

Doctors and specialists in today's society will make you wait hours in a waiting room even when you have a scheduled appointment. Why is that happening? They certainly charge me and my insurance company an awful lot for 5 minutes of service!

There's an old saying that states, "Time is money". Well if time truly is money, then please explain to me why I'm at the mercy of someone else's time if I'm the one providing the money? And if I provide services, why do I have to wait to get paid from someone on their time?

We now live in a society that does not make any sense because many, many people forgot how to respect one another. I've spent years trying to do things expected of me out of the respect I was taught to provide and I've paid the price of that in Fibromyalgia pain. And is that fair if I'm the one paying for something mentally, physically, AND financially? I think not!

My take on this statement is very different from most because I truly feel people need to learn the term respect in today's day and age:

It's not often I come across a saying like this particular one that fits. Yes, relationships work both ways, and effort should be made, but when a person in your life clearly does not understand you, it is not your fault, nor should you be hearing the statement "relationships work both ways" from someone who is incapable of empathy, compassion, and understanding. Effort should be determined on a person's capacity to love and not on the capability of measured time (as in getting together). Some of the best relationships I've had are from people who barely know me and some of the worst relationships I've had are from those who have taken advantage of my loving nature because they claim to know me. It's about time that people value and appreciate what they have-- including the love that has been freely given to them by others. We shouldn't look for or expect anything more.

We Fibromites take a beating from people who lack respect, and on May 12, we should all take back some power through awareness, the power of respect!

Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,

Kimberley