Nothing more painful

There is nothing more painful than fighting between family members. Whether between parents who are married or divorced, or between siblings, there is nothing more bitter than watching people who once loved each other say painful things to one another. Family member know each other better than anyone. They know each others vulnerabilities and can hurt each other in the most private and intimate places. So before you say something to a family member, no matter how much you think that they deserve it, remember, the pain of the memory of this encounter will last much longer than the satisfaction of a good one liner.

A Broken Family Tree

A Broken Family Tree

© Lori A. Cain

I am one of many

Small branches of a broken tree

Always looking to the ones above

For guidance, strength and security.

One little branch trying

To keep the others from breaking away

Who will fall?

And who will stay?

Now I stand alone

Looking at the earth through the rain

And I see the broken branches I knew

Scattered about me in pain.

There are those who have taken an axe

To the root of our very foundation

And who have passed this destruction

Down to every new generation.

If I could take that axe

I would toss it deep into the sea

Never to return again

To harm the generations that follow me.

I am one of many

But alone I will go

And plant the new seeds

Where a beautiful tree will grow.

Granted only one wish

One day a rich Westerner who had made millions from speculating on the stock market, was strolling along the beach and saw the fisherman pulling in his boat with his meager catch. 

The rich Westerner stopped and remarked "not much of a catch today". The fisherman replied "yes not much", but explained that his small catch was enough for him and his family.

The rich Westerner asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"  

"I sleep late, play with my children and have an afternoon's rest under a coconut tree. In the evenings, I go to the local pub to see my friends, play some music, and sing a few songs….. I have a full and happy life." replied the fisherman.

The rich Westerner ventured, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you…… You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.

With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have a large fleet. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to a city from where you can direct your huge enterprise."

"And after that?" asked the fisherman.

"After that? That's when it gets really interesting," answered the rich Westerner, laughing, "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stock in your company and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" pressed the fisherman.

"After that you'll be able to retire, move out to a small village by the sea, sleep in late every day, spend time with your family, go fishing, take afternoon nap sunder a coconut tree, and spend relaxing evenings with friends…"

If I could be granted only one wish, it would be that I could spend less time at work, and more time with my family, my friends, and my puppy dog

Hello

I must hide my feelings in the fear of hurting my family and compromising my career . I need a place to vent and find me. So I shall remain  anonymous in this work of notes.  So much has happened in the past 2 years that it still angers me. I shall return. Follow me if you like....