Yesterday, I had a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with my older brother. We haven’t really connected in quite sometime, so it was really cherished time. The bulk of our conversation was centered around our family house growing up, and how much our old neighborhood has changed. My brother has taken a very strong interest in investing his time and energy into the preservation and rejuvenation of the house.

Honestly and personally, I had some very strong opinions and beliefs about what should and should not happen to this house…before we connected. The house is old, below par and increasingly declining in value and foundation safety, but my brother is nobly committed to its revival.

My initial internal reaction to his desire to revive this house was one of disapproval and confusion. I mean, it’s not what I would do if I was leading this effort, but what I would do was not what I should have been focused on. I did something that so many of us fail to do wholeheartedly and not without judgement – I listened. I listened carefully and with an open mind.

While I am still not 100% sold on rehabbing the house, I felt his passion, his intentions and his genuine desire to keep and preserve something that is ours, that has immeasurable and limitless value and that was built by our patriarchs and matriarchs for our benefit.

Scarlet Says… we all have an unyielding number of obligations and distractions that are competing for our attention. We also bring our opinions, our priorities and our feelings with us to every conversation. Before you miss out on the next opportunity, the next life lesson or the next life-changing experience, challenge yourself to keep an open mind and consider the perspectives of others.

Until next time,
-Scarlet

Scarlet