N and I took a whirlwind trip down to Rosieburg to pick-up Fran this morning. Jonathon's family was in the middle of their Easter day, between church services and heading to a dinner at the house of some dear friends. Our goal was to impact their day as little as possible and to keep from putting Fran in a position of being totally wiped out. Except for Hope weeing on their floor (twice!), we were successful.
Our talk on the drive back covered many topics, one of which was whether it's okay to expect a family member to join the rest of the family for Easter service when it's not in line with their personal beliefs. My thoughts are that we have the right to ask for an adult offspring's presence, but we don't have the right to demand it. Fran felt it was a small price to pay and a show of respect. I don't think it's that easy.
Everyone has their own personal reasons for taking their own particular path. They struggle with all that they've been raised with, their experiences and their view of the world. If a parent feels their child has made the wrong decision, how can it help the parent's case to make a big deal out of it? (Not the case in Fran's story.)
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