I so admire the people like Seth Godin, who blogs every day and it is almost always something good. There are times he even blogs twice a day! And I read and enjoy both.
Somehow, I can’t imagine coming up with enough interesting topics, but I guess if I start with that premise, I have already failed.

Today I am trying to get past the sinking feeling of perhaps being ‘had’ once again. I am the landlord for three properties, one my own and two of my son’s. Lately my gut feeling about the integrity of people has been off course. I used to find the best tenants, and even if they didn’t fit all the rules, they were trustworthy and paid their rent on time.

Lately, I have had to deal with people who are adept at taking advantage of someone with a trusting personality and willingness to give someone a chance. They have run with it until they have drained the life out of me. I hate to get jaded about these things, but I have the sinking feeling that my radar needs an overhaul. I may have to go back to the tried and true principles everyone else is following, knowing that even I would never qualify, and feeling sad that a few have now spoiled it for everyone.

Actually, after this thought had time to marinate, I realized that only three out of over twenty tenants in the past five or six years, have ever had that effect on me. I sincerely hope that we raise our children in future generations with more accountability than entitlements, because that seems to be where the problem starts, on any financial level. I have gone back to trusting my gut and I am not sorry!

Sometimes family just is more important than whatever you were planning to do. My Mom celebrated her 90th birthday last week, and it completely overshadowed Christmas and New Year’s as we readied ourselves for the celebration. Almost like a wedding, we spent weeks gathering letters and tributes from her many friends all over the country. As it was, without bringing her into the equation, we could only get to about half of her hundred friends and extended family.
We are blessed to have a parent, not only living, but in excellent health and communication with so many people. She writes letters, often and regularly, to all those who are on her radar. Although many have lost that art, she continues to write them, even if they (we) are lax about always returning in kind. She has even recently acquired a laptop, trying to stay on the same page as her grandchildren. I give her great kudos for trying to pick this up in her nineties!
I also realize that reunions with family can sometimes be tiring. There are so many relationships to update, and some that will keep you in a box, no matter how hard you want to be let out. I think that in some families you find the safest place to be yourself, in others you find it terrifying to be that vulnerable. I guess we all hope just to make some kind of peace that will suffice over time; perhaps not all we wanted or hoped for, but not so little that we cease to gather. My hope was that we would find it worth getting together more than at funerals, and that we would remember to say nice things to one another before we have lost the person who never knew they were so appreciated.
I think, at least with my Mom, we have succeeded.