Brandelyn: Lyrical Contradiction

So I am officially moved into the new place. I am super in love with it and I am actually getting the best sleep of my life, God is good!! There are no crazy neighbors beating people up and I actually can’t hear anything from my neighbors at all. This entire weekend was spent moving in and getting it together. Thanks to some wonderful friends, the hard part was completed on Saturday afternoon and then I began to unpack. My other goal in life besides moving was to complete my Tyler Perry collection. I was amped to find Madea Goes to Jail at Target and popped it in as soon as I got home. As I was moving furniture around and unpacking boxes, a scene in this play really got my attention. Madea was talking about people coming in and out of your life. She quoted Maya Angelou and said “If someone tells you who they are, believe them...” The funny thing is that I have heard that quote a million times, but with all of the changes going on in my life right now, I have really been able to evaluate the relationships that surround me. If someone has proven themselves to be abusive, or flaky, or mean spirited, or a gossip, or a user, then there is no mystery there. That is what that person is and that is what they are going to be. I am a person who likes to believe in the good in people at all costs, but we have to be honest with ourselves sometimes and realize that there are people who are out there just to bleed you dry and then move on to the next. Think about it. Do you have that friend who only calls you when things are bad and there is all kinds of trauma going on in their lives, but when you need a shoulder they are no where to be found? Or do you have that friend who only calls you when you need something, but when you need something, again, they are nowhere to be found? A very difficult lesson that I am learning is that relationship, all relationships are give and take. It is a beautiful thing to be able to provide a shoulder for someone during a hard time, but that same need needs to be filled by them as well. Constantly being the giver and going out of your way for someone without it being returned will get old really quick. And sometimes you have to take steps back from relationships and see what happens. But like Madea says, if someone hurts you and you tell them about it and they make changes to try and fix it, then that is someone who is a good friend and worth keeping around. But if you tell someone that they hurt you and they keep doing the same thing, then you need to take step back from that one and see what happens. Just like gardeners prune leaves from tree’s so will God prune people from your life. It may be uncomfortable and hurt a little, but you will be so much better off when its over.

Peace Y’all

B