Blast From the Past - On Relationships...

You have so many relationships in this life
Only one or two will last
You go through all this pain and strife
Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast
And they're gone so fast
So hold on to the ones who really care
In the end they'll be the only ones there
When you get old and start losing your hair
Can you tell me who will still care?
Can you tell me who will still care?

- Hanson (MmmBop)

Who would have thought that such thought-provoking words would be sung by three long-haired brothers in their early teens in the late 90's? I was madly in love with these boys, as was my best friend. We were barely in our teens but were sure that we would both trot off to the "Middle of Nowhere" and marry two of the three of these boys... Thank God we grew out of that! 

However, now after I am older and "wiser" I pulled out that bright orange CD after all these years and reminisced about the days of sitting in my bedroom listening to these songs over and over again and dreaming, really and truly dreaming. However, today I really listened to the words and was caught by the first verse of an all-time favourite "MmmBop" (above). I truly believe relationships are the key to everything in life. Having a bad day? Well, if we have an amazing relationship with someone...anyone really, odds are they are going to be able to cheer us up. Not as successful as we would like to be? (You define what "success" means to you) Odds are, we could strengthen a relationship with someone and things would start to come together better and we would be on our way to the success we have been dreaming of.

A few suggested books on the "subject" (to be extremely vague) include: 5 Love Languages, Personality Plus, How to Win Friends and Influence People, How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling, Grown-Up Girlfriends...the list goes on and on and on.

There will always be trials and tribulations in our relationships; be it with a spouse, parent, sibling, friend or business partner. There is no way to avoid them in when they spring up, and the only way to avoid conflict is to be courageous enough to step up and face a problem before it becomes a trial or tribulation. Courage is not easy to use, but it will save some of the most important relationships in our lives...should we choose to use it.

"Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose

You can plant any one of those

Keep planting to find out which one grows

It's a secret no one knows"

Another verse that also speaks loudly. Sure if you are a gardener this is also true; however applied to relationships very profound. We truly do not know who will be there for us until we stop, take a look around and realize who really does care. Unfortunately in today's society we wait until things are bad and we are crying for help or support to find out who are the ones that really care. My suggestion is to stop, yes it will be hard, I know you are "busy" but trust me it will be worth it; stop, take that look around now, evaluate who has always been standing by your side when you needed it most. Now, are you giving them and the relationship with them the time, dedication, and love it deserves? No? Perhaps its time we pick up one of the books mentioned above and apply them to our lives. All the best on this journey, you are in for a bumpy old dirt road.


Remember its.. Dream - STRUGGLE - Victory!


Keep Dreaming,
M