What do you do when there’s an elephant in your family?  You know the kind, the big huge hulking beast sitting in the middle of the living room that everyone does their best to walk around, talk over, and generally pretend isn’t there.  No, I’m not talking about a particular person, I’m talking about an attitude, an idea, a problem.  Most families have one (or more); things that they are uncomfortable talking about.  Often most of the individuals in the family agree that SOMETHING needs to be done, but no one will be the first to stand up and say: “Look!  This isn’t right.  This elephant is here, I actually see it and acknowledge that it is a problem!  Listen to me, I will no longer pretend all is ok, the status quo no longer needs to be followed!”

OK, so I’m maybe being a little overly dramatic.  Something said or written by a particular family member to a different family member (yes, I was eavesdropping) was very hurtful and I for a moment was going to call or fire off an email to that first family member telling them exactly what I thought about them.  The second family member convinced me not to do that for at least a couple days (he or she does not realize how long I really can hold a grudge!).  Instead I decided to blog about it, but the problem is that the only folks who read my blog are family members.  So here I am, stuck.  Still, it did feel better even though no one (except maybe the second family member who convinced me not to alienate the first family member and possibly half of the family) really knows what I’m whining about.  Ah well, good quality whining does not really require that anyone else in the world understands why you’re unhappy.