I got a facebook friend request the other day, and I’m trying to decide how to handle it. For those that know me and my family, you will know who this is. For the rest of you, I’ve removed the names to “protect the not-so-innocent”
The request came with the following text:
You told me once it wouldn’t matter if [Sister’s name] and I got divorce. we would always be friends….I hope the best for [Sister’s name] and you. Just sending a request and if you accept would be great to have you as a FB friend.
To which I have started to pen a reply. I haven’t sent it yet and I don’t know if I will.
I also remember (as a boy of 14 or 15) telling you that if you ever hurt my sister I’d kill you. I’m beyond that and I realize that it wouldn’t serve any real purpose. That, and my sister can take care of herself, she’s a strong person even if she doesn’t know it at times.
I do however take a very strong stand about my parents. “Borrowing” a chainsaw that you *GAVE* to my dad and then selling it. Writing a check that could *never* be cashed and to top it off trying to write it out for “a little bit extra” so you could have cash in your pocket.
Well, those are just two things of the things I know about and my parents do not deserve that kind of treatment. Now it’s obvious that mom and dad can take care of themselves. Dad didn’t need the chainsaw, he already has one. And, on top of that he has sons that would come over in an instant with chainsaws in hand to do any work needed to be done.
The check, well, while mom and dad aren’t living a life of luxury, that check wasn’t needed for their survival. They have enough money to buy what they need and if it came down to it, they’ve got six of us that would do everything in our power to provide for them if needed.
What is needed is the feeling that when someone tells them something that they are truthful about it. That when someone borrows a chainsaw it will be returned. That when someone writes them a check out, that they can go to the bank and cash it. Not get a story about how it will “be there next week” or “be there in two days”.
So you claim someone screwed up. Fine, but you shouldn’t have written a check when the money wasn’t there and you certainly shouldn’t have sold something that wasn’t yours.
As with all things, time changes things. I had friends that I thought I’d never part with, people that would always be in my life. But as life takes us in different directions and different paths there are times when you must say goodbye to those friends. Be it that they are living a life that is different from your goals or have simply moved away and you’ve lost contact with over time.
So I said we’d always be friends. I also said I’d kill you if you ever hurt my sister. Some things are said without knowing what the future holds and people change.
I’ve got to say, it feels rather therapeutic to put this out there.