Comments on: The Functionally-Challenged Family Holiday Preparation Guide http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/ Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:46:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: fivecats http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-73386 fivecats Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:59:57 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-73386 hmmm... should've read this one before my long comment to the first one. (hey, i've been out of the country with very limited internet access!) :) ... hmmm… should’ve read this one before my long comment to the first one.

(hey, i’ve been out of the country with very limited internet access!) :)

…

]]> By: Michelle http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-70378 Michelle Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:33:47 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-70378 I am headed to my parent's annual holiday party today and reading this could not have come at a better time. Overall I have a great family. But man can we clash over the small things at the holidays. One example was my mom did not like the photo that my brother sent out of their new baby. "You can't see her face...you need to be able to see her face..." my mom went on and on...This is grandama who must have 9,000 photos of her 4 months old granddaughter. I reminded her of this and she kept at it....what about everyone else that want to see her face, not her peeking out from under an oversized santa hat." I know my brother and sister in law intentionally went for this shot and were thrilled to get it so I shrugged looked at my mom and said, "well I think it's cute". I know it will come up today. Deep breath. I vow for today not to complain. I vow to step back into a quieter room or a walk if the buzz starts to overwhelm and I vow to read your blog every day from now on to keep my sanity!!!!! Thanks for the fantastic advice. I am headed to my parent’s annual holiday party today and reading this could not have come at a better time. Overall I have a great family. But man can we clash over the small things at the holidays. One example was my mom did not like the photo that my brother sent out of their new baby. “You can’t see her face…you need to be able to see her face…” my mom went on and on…This is grandama who must have 9,000 photos of her 4 months old granddaughter. I reminded her of this and she kept at it….what about everyone else that want to see her face, not her peeking out from under an oversized santa hat.”

I know my brother and sister in law intentionally went for this shot and were thrilled to get it so I shrugged looked at my mom and said, “well I think it’s cute”. I know it will come up today.

Deep breath. I vow for today not to complain. I vow to step back into a quieter room or a walk if the buzz starts to overwhelm and I vow to read your blog every day from now on to keep my sanity!!!!!

Thanks for the fantastic advice.

]]> By: Christine Kane http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69431 Christine Kane Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:55:09 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69431 hey kim, thanks! joy - wow. that's a beautiful poem. i've never seen that one. thanks so much for sharing it. hey kim, thanks!

joy – wow. that’s a beautiful poem. i’ve never seen that one. thanks so much for sharing it.

]]> By: Joy Gardner http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69422 Joy Gardner Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:09:42 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69422 I can't help but share a translation of a poem by the mystic Rumi, one of my favorites, that makes me smile and think of this discussion too. All I can say is, don't risk ruining your feathers! :-) We're quite addicted to subtle discussions; we're very fond of solving problems. So that we may tie knots and then undo them, we constantly make rules for posing the difficulty and for answering the questions it raises. We're like a bird which loosens a snare and then ties it tighter again in order to perfect its skill. It deprives itself of open country; it leaves behind the meadowland, while its life is spent dealing with knots. Even then the snare is not mastered, but its wings are broken again and again. Don't struggle with knots, so your wings won't be broken. Don't risk ruining your feathers to display your proud efforts. I can’t help but share a translation of a poem by the mystic Rumi, one of my favorites, that makes me smile and think of this discussion too. All I can say is, don’t risk ruining your feathers! :-)

We’re quite addicted to subtle discussions;
we’re very fond of solving problems.
So that we may tie knots and then undo them,
we constantly make rules for posing the difficulty
and for answering the questions it raises.
We’re like a bird which loosens a snare
and then ties it tighter again
in order to perfect its skill.
It deprives itself of open country;
it leaves behind the meadowland,
while its life is spent dealing with knots.
Even then the snare is not mastered,
but its wings are broken again and again.
Don’t struggle with knots,
so your wings won’t be broken.
Don’t risk ruining your feathers
to display your proud efforts.

]]> By: Kim http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69399 Kim Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:51:34 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69399 This year, the holiday season is going much smoother for me because I've given up doing so much of what I didn't love. Thank you for giving me more food for thought. My inner self needs all the help it can get! This year, the holiday season is going much smoother for me because I’ve given up doing so much of what I didn’t love. Thank you for giving me more food for thought. My inner self needs all the help it can get!

]]> By: Christine Kane http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69396 Christine Kane Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:45:05 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69396 hi stacey - wow. that's such a great thing to hear! thanks for coming to the show. i had such a fantastic trip to fl! thanks sue and deb! mark p - i don't think it's being depressing at all if you stop to remind yourself that everyone is here only temporarily. that really sunk in for me after my dad's stroke. it's a great reminder - AND of course, there are some people who can't go there yet, especially if they've been in an abusive situation and are learning how to recover. still, i think you're totally right on there. hi stacey – wow. that’s such a great thing to hear! thanks for coming to the show. i had such a fantastic trip to fl!

thanks sue and deb!

mark p – i don’t think it’s being depressing at all if you stop to remind yourself that everyone is here only temporarily. that really sunk in for me after my dad’s stroke. it’s a great reminder – AND of course, there are some people who can’t go there yet, especially if they’ve been in an abusive situation and are learning how to recover. still, i think you’re totally right on there.

]]> By: Mark P http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69391 Mark P Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:04:58 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69391 Really nice post Christine. Great tips! I would add...hmmm...how do I say this without sounding like Debbie Downer? I try to remember that my family won't be around forever. Little annoyances tend to vanish when you keep this 'big picture' in mind. You tend to hug a little tighter. Okay - someone tell a joke. ;) Really nice post Christine. Great tips!

I would add…hmmm…how do I say this without sounding like Debbie Downer? I try to remember that my family won’t be around forever. Little annoyances tend to vanish when you keep this ‘big picture’ in mind. You tend to hug a little tighter.

Okay – someone tell a joke. ;)

]]> By: Deb http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69380 Deb Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:24:09 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69380 as always, spot on. as always, spot on.

]]> By: Sue http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69370 Sue Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:49:21 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69370 Thanks for reminding me about surrendering time. That is a great way to be more present instead of wishing away time before it happens. I love the idea of having a friend to call as well. Its like having a 'sponsor' for dealing with our families! I've also found that if I almost drench them in kindness, suddenly, like the grinch, my heart grows 3 sizes that day and it really works. In that moment, for that particular time, I can be very present. Thanks!!!!! Thanks for reminding me about surrendering time. That is a great way to be more present instead of wishing away time before it happens. I love the idea of having a friend to call as well. Its like having a ’sponsor’ for dealing with our families! I’ve also found that if I almost drench them in kindness, suddenly, like the grinch, my heart grows 3 sizes that day and it really works. In that moment, for that particular time, I can be very present. Thanks!!!!!

]]> By: stacey http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-69368 stacey Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:48:04 +0000 http://christinekane.com/blog/the-functionally-challenged-family-holiday-preparation-guide/#comment-69368 Hey Christine, After your show Saturday night, I wrote to my collegues at school and asked if they would like to participate in a "complaint free world". So the entire Algebra I team at Boca HS is participating. I just bought 800 bracelets and hopefully we will get to start before the holiday break. I am very excited about this... I will keep you posted on our results. Thanks for being a postive force in the world! Hey Christine,
After your show Saturday night, I wrote to my collegues at school and asked if they would like to participate in a “complaint free world”. So the entire Algebra I team at Boca HS is participating. I just bought 800 bracelets and hopefully we will get to start before the holiday break. I am very excited about this… I will keep you posted on our results. Thanks for being a postive force in the world!

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