I like to consider myself and my husband pretty 'genuine' and 'real'.  In essence if you ask us a question, we will tell you how it is, no holds barred.  My husband without a doubt is more tactful and diplomatic in his responses! Therefore, I feel there really is no middle ground with us, people either like us or they don't.  I do believe we have a few family members that occasionally visit and a few friends that come over.  We don't get many invites and we don't go many places but we are happy and we are real!

We are able to be ourselves, we are able to speak our minds.  We don't worry about what we wear, what our hair looks like, who has the newest boat, house, electronics, etc.  We live to live for what we want not what we should want because everyone else has or wants it.  

You ask, why am I going here? What sparked this topic of genuinity? My repulse, that's what! Like most others, I am a part of the community. I work, I am a mother, I am involved in my children's activities and I frequent the grocery store on occassion.  Unlike most others, I am extremely observant in reading other people's body language, listening with a third ear, reading between the lines and intuitively know when people lack empathy or regard for others and can tell how people feel from looking at them, some tell me it is a talent, at times, I feel it is a curse.  Anyway, there is too much lack of empathy, miserability and dishonesty, too much! I have seen and felt a lot of sadness and miserability lately.  

Do I have all the answers? No of course not. I do know that we are whole and happy people.  Our secret, be true to yourself, don't use credit cards, if you don't have it, you can't buy it.  If it works, you don't need a new one.  If you want something that is not a need, budget for it and you can have it in time, patience is a virtue.  God needs to be first priority in all you do! Family is a close second, have meals together daily and at least twice on weekends.  Love what you do and who you are with.  If you don't, don't do it or don't be with...  How do you know what your likes are? Find your passion.  Don't be a yes man to get to the top, get to the top by being yourself and showcasing your true talents. If your busy say no, if you don't want to do something, say no. Don't ever feel you have to do something that you don't want to do, don't ever feel like you have to give excuses, you don't, be real.  Do I help people, of course I do, it makes me happy to give of myself and to help people.  People don't need to ask, I just know when to reach out my hand.  I would suggest however that, you attend weddings and funerals and pay the IRS.

Now in my husbands words

So, that's where we're at right now, but is everything there where we've been since day 1?  Are we done getting our act together?  I think you can figure out the answer to that.  If it wasn't for my best friend, I wouldn't give as much thought to what is important.  I still don't give enough thought to some situations.  Not because I'm callous, but because it takes an effort to change and care about it.  Do we still have room for improvement?  Oh, yeah.  We eat too much at times, spend our money on wants instead of needs, but compared to where we were, I think we're doing better.  We have moved past the wrong thinking of children, where you compare yourself to others.  "Johnny has a nice new boat, I deserve one too!  The Jones' are going to Hawaii for vacation, we should be able to go too!  I'm bored with staying at home, lets go spend the weekend in Detroit and go out to eat and spend a couple of hundred at the casino." 



So we are obviously on a journey, not at our destination. And it's not right to compare ourselves with others, because we should only control what we can, which is ourselves. But it's frustrating to see people we know who live far outside their means and don't appear to give a care at all about their future.

Personally, a part of me would like to assume that I'll probably die of cancer or something depressing so I don't need to plan for or care about my or my family's future.  And that may happen, or North Korea may stupidly try to nuke us, but it's irresponsible to think and act that way.  We'll just try to do better, be smarter, and compare how we're doing with how we want to do, not with others.

Fuggedabout it!!