Feast of the Holy Family
December 31, 2006
SECOND REFLECTION: “Love means sharing yourself and your time”
On December 30, 1980, Irwin Westheimer died at the age of 101. He’s claim to fame was that he was the founder of the “Big Brother Program”. Irwin Westheimer challenged men to mentor young boys who needed a male role model in their lives. The purpose of Big Brothers is not for adults to give expensive gifts to kids, but to give themselves, to share their time.
Christmas is a time we give gifts to others as a sign of our love for them. Unfortunately, many adults give gifts, really expensive gifts, not as a sign of love, but as a way of making up for their failure love, or more precisely for their failure to share themselves and their time with their family members. Real love isn’t measured by the expense of the gift, but by our willingness to give of ourselves and of our time to another.
Nursing homes in our area provide their elderly residents with the best care that money can buy, but they can’t provide the one thing the elderly really want, which is for their children and grandchildren to spend some time with them.
When young couples comes in for their marriage prep, I tell them that during the course of the next six months we’re going to discuss many important things with them about marriage and family. However, the most important thing we’re going to tell you is this.... it’s a formula for a successful marriage, so pay close attention; write it down:
“Time + Positive Interaction = Relationship”
Every relationship is in flux. Either you are drifting apart or coming closer together. What causes this ebb and flow in a relationship? Time and Positive Interaction. You spend time with someone interacting in a positive one you get closer. You stop spending time with a person you drift apart. Do you feel a strain in your marriage? Take your spouse out for date, spend some time together and do something fun. Are you feeling distant from your teens? Invite him or her out for a lunch date. Spend some time together and do something fun!
Remember: “Time + positive interaction = relationship. This formula is a law of nature. You break the law at your own peril.
“Love means sharing yourself and your time!”
On December 30, 1980, Irwin Westheimer died at the age of 101. He’s claim to fame was that he was the founder of the “Big Brother Program”. Irwin Westheimer challenged men to mentor young boys who needed a male role model in their lives. The purpose of Big Brothers is not for adults to give expensive gifts to kids, but to give themselves, to share their time.
Christmas is a time we give gifts to others as a sign of our love for them. Unfortunately, many adults give gifts, really expensive gifts, not as a sign of love, but as a way of making up for their failure love, or more precisely for their failure to share themselves and their time with their family members. Real love isn’t measured by the expense of the gift, but by our willingness to give of ourselves and of our time to another.
Nursing homes in our area provide their elderly residents with the best care that money can buy, but they can’t provide the one thing the elderly really want, which is for their children and grandchildren to spend some time with them.
When young couples comes in for their marriage prep, I tell them that during the course of the next six months we’re going to discuss many important things with them about marriage and family. However, the most important thing we’re going to tell you is this.... it’s a formula for a successful marriage, so pay close attention; write it down:
“Time + Positive Interaction = Relationship”
Every relationship is in flux. Either you are drifting apart or coming closer together. What causes this ebb and flow in a relationship? Time and Positive Interaction. You spend time with someone interacting in a positive one you get closer. You stop spending time with a person you drift apart. Do you feel a strain in your marriage? Take your spouse out for date, spend some time together and do something fun. Are you feeling distant from your teens? Invite him or her out for a lunch date. Spend some time together and do something fun!
Remember: “Time + positive interaction = relationship. This formula is a law of nature. You break the law at your own peril.
“Love means sharing yourself and your time!”
