Do as I say, not as I do!

I'm a great one for giving advice. I'm the oldest of eight and I have been known to be bossy in my day(s). Sometimes, I do keep quiet and sit back and not say a word...... Oops, I hear my sisters and brother saying "What? Rayna keeping her mouth shut? Hardly!" Yes, the cat is out of the bag, I'm guilty.

Yes, I'm guilty again. This weekend I was telling a sister to tell her son to do this, not to this, etc. Giving advise that was not requested or required. When I got off the phone, I realized that my blood pressure was elevated and that I had been talking too loudly, I'm sure. And the loudness probably had nothing to do with the road noise in the car. I have a "motherly" instinct in me that wants to protect the young ones and the old ones (siblings that are messing with their lives). I don't want them to make the same mistakes that I have made. I want goodness and gladness for them all, family members young and old. I have even been known to boss my own mother.

I like to give advice, that's probably why I enjoy doing this blog. There is no doubt that sometimes I suffer from the "I want to shake some sense into them" syndrome. Why can't they see it my way? I know what I'm talking about... I have the education, experience, entitlement, etc, etc! Another E word, I also get emotional about it! I started thinking about my conversation with my sister and I was humiliated and humbled. I realized that no one could have "shaken sense" into me at my nephew's age, much less 8 years older. I don't want others to make mistakes and then suffer the consequences of their action or lack of action. Sometimes those consequences take years to deal with and/or eliminate from a person's life.

Sometime in this past month's blogging, I mentioned about no one confronting me about my weight. Upon looking back, I wonder did it mean that no one cared if I was eating myself to death? I wonder if I would have accepted what they suggested or said? The answer to both those questions is "No." People do care, just like I care about others and I don't want to see them hurt, be it physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and/or financially.

For me there is a fine-line between showing my care and concern for someone and sticking-my-nose-where-it-don't-belong syndrome. How do others deal with it? Praying for the person. Writing to the person. Listening to the person. For me it is often easier to try and "save" someone else than it is to try and save myself from destruction. Maybe I have more confidence in the other person listening to me and taking my advice than it is for me to act on my own words. It's much easier to shout, "Do as I say, not as I do!"

Advice is easy to give, not so easy to take. Peace!