That is for sure true. I was just thinking that the other day, how lucky we are. Though we are financially struggling, we have food on the table every night, etc...

We went to see Fantasia at a local university on Sunday. It was at the same time as the NFL games, so there was hardly anyone there. They had ordered two HUGE cakes for after the movie. We each had a piece of cake and some lemonade and I just remembered all the homeless and hungry people we had passed who would have loved to sit in a dry theater, watching a classic movie and then to eat all the cake you wanted.

Heartbreaking all the simple things we often take for granted that others dream of having.

Made me pretty grateful!

I'm going through the same thing, but I haven't unfriended my dad/brother/sil. I have "unsubscribed" to them, but I still go over and creep on their walls almost every day. I dont unfriend them because then that gives him a reason to be "ok" with the way he treats me.

It occurred to me that they don't even consider me part of their family. My dad couldn't be bothered to even hit "like" on any of the kids pictures, wish me a happy birthday, even via messenger, yet he has time to comment on every single one of my brothers kids pics. I had just posted about Matthew having hand foot and mouth, and my dad said nothing... but when their real grandsons had it, it was "so terrible!"

It also occurred to me that I have spent 36 years trying to be included, get approval, to feel like I was "good enough." I decided that it's high time to let it go, and ultimately, I decided that I don't want to pass on to my kids the idea that they have to be constantly seeking their (or anyone's) approval and acceptance.

Lol, I meant to get to my point eventually... which was that I am realizing that they won't think anything is "missing" unless I/we give them that idea. It sucks that people have chosen not to be a part of their lives, but we have a lot of weird people on both sides of the family. In the end, the vision of us having these big family holidays and everything just aren't who these people are anyway.

I hope that my kids will include me/us in their family celebrations as they grow up.

and THAT is the point I was trying to make but never actually said it. I want my kids to grow up knowing I did my best and hopefully they will include us in their celebrations.