That's my dog, Chubby. He's the perfect sibling. He doesn't fight with me, argue back, or steal my clothes behind my back.
Mikey and I got into an argument today over attention spans. He told me I have a very short one because I change the radio station in the middle of a song I had been listening to. I told him he had one because he can't even finish a book. He argued that he doesn't even start the book, so it has nothing to do with attention span. But I told him that he didn't start reading books because he subconsciously doesn't trust his attention span. Either way, it doesn't matter who's right. At the end of the day, Mikey's my only little brother and I love him. Even if my argument was poor, I was trying to influence him to read, because HELLO! College = reading like crazy. I worry I'm a bad influence on Mikey in other ways (i.e. drinking), so I try to compensate for my bad influence on him in areas related to academics (I'm a good influence there).
My sister has been bugging me about uploading stupid pictures from my camera onto Facebook. For some reason, I feel like withholding the pictures from Ali a bit longer until I have more to add to the album. Anyways, we're arguing, and although I get so frustrated with Ali and her immaturity/rudeness, I do love her, and this prayer helped calm me down:
Final Analysis Prayer by Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
At the end of the day, though, it's overcoming our weaknesses and flaws that help us form ourselves into the best individuals we can be. One of my weaknesses is taking my frustrations out on my loved ones (i.e. family, Tony). But what separates family from the rest is that family will love unconditionally, which really is something beautiful. That kind of love mirrors God's unconditional love for us. Remembering that calms my frustrations and short temper with my family and allows my flaws to subside (for a while, at least).
