There are certain relationships we don't want to end; we just want them to improve.  Sometimes it may seem like that may only happen if one person started acting "differently".  Maybe with more kindness, understanding, respect, compassion, consideration or they were more thoughtful.  As time has proven to all of us, we can't change people.  We can only change how we interact with them.  The fact that we can't make people understand or change their perspective can be extremely frustrating at times because we don't know what we could do differently.  All we know is we want to be treated better and are tired of being treated badly.

As much as we want someone to fill a certain role in our lives....They have to want it for themselves also.  If they don't, it's our job to recognize this so we don't continually cause ourselves unnecessary pain trying to force something that quite frankly is just not working.  Little in this world is more painful than wanting to be close to someone but knowing it's a recipe for disaster.  It's harder when we think it could be so simple if that person could just realize how much we care and try, even if a little, to reciprocate it like we deserve.

We can't make someone else make an effort.  Although it may be hard, we must make smart decisions for our own well being.  We need to honor the most important relationship in our lives, the one we have with ourselves.

PHSM