The prompt today is to reflect on the following quote: "Fate chooses your relations, you choose your friends."
It is true that you don't get to pick your relatives, but you sure can take a lesson from this quote. As an example, if my brother and I were not related, I think we could have been friends in high school. However, at this stage of our lives, we surely would not interact, absent our being related. Which serves to remind me that I shouldn't let myself judge the goodness or friend-worthiness of others by their outward belief systems - because our sibling relationship keeps me connected to my brother, not always by his choice or mine, I do see the good in him and I think I can accept most of the time that he is trying to live his best life, just as I'm trying to live mine. And if we can just set aside our differences, we can and do enjoy each other's company.
This is an excellent reminder, as I reflect on what I just wrote. It is oh so common to write off certain people or groups of people because of their affiliations, or because a person was a jerk about something, and by doing so, we create a one or two dimensional version of that person and dismiss them without knowing the rest of the story. And like many things in life, if you can raise your sights above your differences and struggles, you will probably find many more positive things in the world - including friends in the unlikeliest of places.
The thing that gets me is that I count my siblings among the best of my friends. I am a person who has a TON of acquaintances but neither wants nor needs a TON of friends. A handful is good. My sibs always come first to my mind when asked about best friends. I am so fortunate.
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