Friday, December 19, 2008

If You Don't Know Me By Now...

I consider myself not only a social blogger--often I editorialize on poverty, politics, political campaigns, education, religion, etc.--but also a reality blogger in that I may from time to time share things that are going on in my life whether serious or humorous. A relative of mine and I were conversing via email, and she stated that she had some problems with the kind of person I am in that she feels I am selfish and inconsiderate. She said this in a way that I would not be offended, but that was fine, because I am not offended by honest opinion. I took it as an opportunity to inform of what I am all about, since she has not known me for too long.

You are 100% right when you say that I am selfish and inconsiderate at times. I wouldn't argue that. Now, I was raised to be kind, generous, polite, giving, honest, loyal to friends, and show Christian love and friendship. This is why I've been blessed to make friends with many many other good people, and because of those traits as well as gifts that God has blessed me to develop since my childhood, I have had the fortune to do many things that others in my position have not had the chance to do. In addition, I count myself privileged that thousands of people in the Tampa area and elsewhere look to me as someone who has integrity, a young leader in community service, and someone that is dependable and can be trusted to keep my word.

Having said that, at some point in my recent life in the last few years, I got sick and tired of my kindness and my laid-back nature being taken for granted and the good things that I was trying to do being stepped on continuously. These things caused me to realize that no matter what I did, there would always be a critic, who was upset about that action. I then resolved myself that I would no longer bend over backwards to please everyone and make everyone happy all the time. I learned how to say, "No" sometimes instead of running around crazy because I felt an irrational need to make sure everyone else was happy. I have one life to live, and I decided that--you know what--I would serve God to the best of my ability, keep giving to those who couldn't give back to me through community service, and only worry about being happy with the kind of person that I am instead of trying to be everything to everyone. Also, as a married man, according to what I study in the Bible, my first responsibility is to love God, my second responsibility is to care for my wife and family, and make sure they have everything they need including my time, money, love, and devotion. Everything else including work, Mother, family, etc. all come later on the list.

That is why I say exactly what is on my mind. I don't think anyone can say that I am not honest with them. If I have a problem with something someone says, I'm not going to hide behind my wife or family and sulk and be mad. I'm not going to tell my wife, "Tell so and so that I'm mad with them". No! I'm going to address it right then, because life is too short to walk around being hurt all the time. Life is also to short to walk on pins and needles wondering if the next thing you say is going to offend someone. At the same time, my intention is not to do this with a mean or hateful attitude at all. The Bible says that if we have a problem with our brother, that we are to go directly to them and get the problem straight. Often arguments and disagreements between friends and family are based on simple misunderstanding.

Well, as you said, I am all the things you think I am. In the final analysis, I don't make excuses for anything, and I believe that my positives far outweigh my negatives.

For more about me, check out other previous posts of The Great Blog of Kéto:
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