Families....

You know, I don't normally read these types of books. I'm really big on following your gut and instincts and actually think most books of this kind are...well....junk. How could one book help more than a handful of people? We are all so different.

But I really love to read...and I really wanted to find a book club. Being new to this area, I was clueless. So, I thought I'd try an online book club. After all, one of the blogs I read was doing this so it was easy. And this was the book they picked.

You know that online book club ideal only lasted about as long as it took me to get the book. LOL! Yep. That's about how long I stick to things generally. But I did give it a shot. And I got hooked on the book rather quick.

Now, this book isn't for everyone. As a matter of fact I'd say its not for most people - to be quite honest. The commitment it takes to use the principles is just not the norm in our society. Most men are not going to dedicate themselves to their families in this way. (Shame on me for saying that out loud. But its true.) I can say I know a few families that would take this and be brilliant success stories....and I'm mailing it to one of them and asking her to pass it on to one of the others. Plus I actually have one single friend that could adapt this to her little family and it would just fit with them......as they are already on track with part of it anyways. (Check it out of the library if you get a chance T.)

And as much as I would love this to be my family.....it will never happen. But boy did I learn some really important stuff. I therefore consider it as time well spent and a valuable book to anyone that will take the time to go through it.

I'm going to leave you with my favorite paragraph of the book - which is not some big concept or step in the book.....just a concept that I live by and makes my life so much easier and my enjoyment of people so much deeper:

"Sometimes living with differences and appreciating other people's uniqueness is hard. We tend to want to mold people in our own image. When we get our security from our opinions, to hear a different opinion- particularly from someone as close as our spouse or children-threatens that security. We want them to agree with us, to think the way we think, to go along with our ideas. But as someone once said, "When everybody thinks alike, nobody thinks very much." Another said, "When two agree, one is unnecessary." Without difference, there's no basis for synergy, no option to create new solutions and opportunities."

Friends, if you do nothing else in life, learn to love and honor differences. This one thing will expand your horizons and open you up for a hundred fold more friendships and relationships. And letting go of having to surround yourself with people that think like you is very freeing. You should give it a try.