as children, my brother and i were expected to get along with each other. it wasn’t an option not to be friends. for good or bad, i carry that expectation of my own kids. the trouble is not always knowing how to make that reality.
my dad sent this out as part of his weekly letter to the congregations and folks he works with:
I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. — 1 Cor. 1:10 (The Message)
bring it on. i’m going to write that down somewhere.
prairie daze 
interesting that you post this at this exact time on this exact day…i was just having a girls…friendship conversation with myself.
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We are the same way in our house; siblings are simply not allowed to “hate” each other or fight or exclude one another from play with friends. Just not done. I have had friends who thought this was short sighted of me, and that I wasn’t respecting my children’s individual personalities, but as the years have passed, I get to see my kids genuinely play with one another, while she tells anyone who will listen that her kids can’t even coexist in the same room anymore.
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I’m taking note…we have three, ages 15,10 & 9. The 10 & 9 are best buddies, the 15 yog is an island. What was once leadership has slipped into bossiness. It’s not terrible, but it isn’t always pleasant.
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Amen! Easier said than done, but AMEN!
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i am writing this on my chalkboard tonight!!!
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Oh yeah! What wonderful memories. Seems to me that any attempt to “get along” is always worth whatever energy it requires. Come to think of it, how would one ever prove that to be so, Still, I believe it is. :-)
Keep doing what you do so well — it’s what keeps giving the world “reason to dance” — and that’s a profound gift all its own.
Love you so much,
Dad
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