What would our lives be like if every person thought of others before themselves? Because this blog is on “giving” as well as gratitude and gratefulness,  my volunteer work with victims of domestic violence and child abuse has “gifted” me some excellent seminars and workshops providing tools to work with these victims.

Recently, I attended a workshop on Trust Based Relational Intervention, from this time forward referred to as, TBRI. It is a method of dealing with our interactions with others. It involves three principals; empowering, connecting and correcting.

I would love to say “if only” I had some of the skills I learned recently that perhaps the relationships in my life would be different. However, I absolutely comprehend that when a person chooses to dissolve a relationship, no amount of pleading or love can change their mind. Nonetheless, by sharing some of the knowledge I have gained, perhaps may assist you with current interactions with others.

The workshop reminded us to spend at least ten minutes each day in “one on one” time. Even though this discussed time with our children, what about with other family members? During this time there would be no teaching (or correcting as so frequently happens), no questioning and no instruction. How often have you asked someone to pray for you and without hesitation they are mandating what you should do? You didn’t ask for their judgement or opinion, but merely a simple statement of “will you please pray with me?”

What if we all gave even ten minutes of our time to just “see, hear and listen” to the other person? How wonderful would it be if you gave even an hour to another person? I recall countless times during my 44-year marriage counselors recommended a “date night” with my then husband, Charles and me.

Time and again, he mocked and jeered at that; citing no way would he do anything with me as a date. Yet while I was still his wife, Charles began taking his “new woman” on dates and now over seven years later, they remain as  “one.” Where would our family be “if only” that same amount of time had be given to us?  TO BE CONTINUED:  Luke 6:31 NIV “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”