I'm with Heather; trust and respect go hand in hand. They are definitely the foundation to any relationship, but there are so many variables.

My daughter once told me that I had to earn her respect. Excuse me?!?!? However, I didn't go off like a skyrocket like she was doing. At that particular time, I was just letting her vent, trying to get a handle for how she was feeling and thinking, but it did get me thinking then and I'm still thinking about it.

I think everyone comes with their own measure of trust and respect that they are entitled to. The way I live my life, I trust and respect others until they do something to loose that trust and respect. With some people, it takes a whole lot to loose it and then there's some that loose it immediately.

It goes both ways. I feel that I am entitled to trust and respect until I do something to loose it. From my side of the issue, it's only fair that I give the person that did something to violate the trust a second and sometimes a third chance. Then there's my hubby. He never asks for another chance, but I always give it to him. Maybe it's the measure of love that I have for him. Some people would say that he doesn't deserve my love. Tell my heart that!

In the past seven years that my daughter hasn't spoken to me, there have been times I wanted to push her down and tell her to "Shut up and listen!" I would have proceeded to ream her a new one in no uncertain terms. If she got in my face again today, I'd simply walk away from her. If, by some strange miracle we were to patch things up, I certainly would never trust her again... even if she got the medical help she needs. Sad to say, my daughter, my firstborn, the one I considered my Springtime Rose and I will never have a relationship again. I don't trust her, she doesn't respect me.

As for hubby and me? We've always had a very unstable, rocky relationship, but such as he is, I'm gonna keep him. Go figure!



"For unto us a Son is given..."