I love my family.
I realize for a lot of people - that statement is an obvious one - not just for me - but for everyone. You just inherently love your family. Yes?
Obviously, not everyone was raised that way. You don't always love the people that you are surrounded by....but as we all know: You can pick your friends but you can't pick your family...you're just stuck with them. What you get is what you get. Almost a sort of a roulette game if you will. Some times you land on a 7 red (good old lucky number 7) and other times you land on 13 black (eek). Granted - it's all relative. Some people totally have it worse than I do....but honestly...I wouldn't wish the kind of people that some of my family are, upon ANYONE. Not even my worst enemy. Truly.
Allow me to explain.
Yesterday, my mother, sister and I were sitting at home, enjoying a nice saturday afternoon when my Aunt (my mother's eldest sister) calls from Scotland. Ok fine. She's flying in tomorrow (4th) and wants to make sure she has one of our phone numbers for us to pick her up at the airport. No prob. Sure enough, that brief conversation turns into my Aunt telling my sister that she was mad that we didn't call her on Christmas or New Years and that the only person that did make a call was our other Aunt Barbara.
Let me stop right here and explain - my sister and I - we are two of 8 nieces and nephews my aunt has. NONE OF THEM CALLED HER - so how is this our problem? What's that you say? She's giving us money from her will/our inheritance early so we should do whatever we can to make her happy?
This is the kind of family I have.
Perfect example: When I was in college, I had an opportunity to enter a beauty pageant here in Philly. I went to a consultant who told me I had a really good chance at winning. The only problem was that I needed a "sponsor" to pay my fee for the pageant. So I asked my Grandfather because he has a company and surely my own grandfather would support this, right? Surely your own grandparents think you're beautiful and smart and witty enough to win a scholarship contest (read: Miss Congeniality). His words, "What makes you think you can win this contest? Do you have a guarantee? I don't think I can give you this money because I don't think you'll win."
These are the kinds of family members we have. They are not willing to give without knowing their investment is secure and that they'll get what they pay for, so to speak.
I should lay a disclaimer now, NOT ALL OF MY MOM'S FAMILY IS LIKE THIS. My Grandfather is the worst. My Aunt Kim (the oldest of the 8) is awful. Each of the kids have their own different personal quirks. But after what my aunt kim said to my mom and sister yesterday about how she thinks they should be living their life (god the judgment was just OOZING out), I put my foot down.
No one is allowed to speak to my mom or sister that way. It's re-god-damn-diculous! If my Aunt so much as speaks to me in any kind of manner that way - she'll be going to back to Scotland in a coffin instead of an airplane.
As much as I complain about my family some times. They're MINE. And especially my immediate family. YOU DON'T EF WITH THEM. EVER. I'm VERY protective of them, to say the least. Which I'm sure you can figure out by now.
All the same. what kind of family does that?
No comments:
Post a Comment