Patience and Love

This brother of mine, oh man, I don't even know where to begin. I love my parents and my brother, but just sometimes, I don't know how to show them.

A few nights ago, my brother ran into the living room really upset. He didn't say a word but his face was like a red tomato and his eyes were full of hate. He then stormed upstairs to his room all the while murmuring to himself. My mom, being the caring and gentle person that she is, went upstairs to check on him. Turns out, he was really angry at something but could not pinpoint it. Somehow, my mom's kindness finally got it out of him and it was something my dad and I had done that angered him. From what I remember, when he came home the last few days, he ate and immediately went to his room to study. As for the two of us, we barely spoke to him, let alone an opportunity to upset him.

My approach to relational issues is to talk about it openly between everyone that is involved. Really, the basics of relationship are to relate to one another and to communicate. Well, apparently my brother thinks otherwise. His personality confines him to keep everything to himself, which really leads to catastrophic eruptions like we witnessed just the other day. After having a great long discussion with my parents tonight, I understood that living together in a family requires one key component - love, and with love comes patience. My dad said, just remember that a family always supports each other, even in the toughest and most unreasonable times.

Moral of the story?
It's a good reminder that love should come first no matter in what situation when it comes to family. Problems and disagreements have to be solved and worked through, but the attitude is should be to love first the person, then to solve a problem.

a very wise saying from a famous book:
'Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy.
Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;
It is not self-seeking, nor easily angered.
It keeps no record of wrongdoing.
It does not delight in evil,
But rejoices in the truth.
It always protects, trusts, hopes, and preserves.
There is nothing love cannot face;
There is no limit to its faith, hope, and endurance.
In a word, there are three things that last forever:
Faith, hope, and love;
But the greatest of them all is love.'