Reflections 6: Family and Acceptance (Intellectual Acceptance) Today on Sunday 6 of my 7 Reflections on life with focus on the family, I look at intellectual acceptance. I am once again thinking of different scenarios. Where a family member has been constantly reminded they are an 'embarasment' to the family name because they are 'slow' learner, 'dull', 'notlike so and so', 'a waster of money' because after all efforts to 'intellectualize' them, they still can't make no significant progress, they are a constant reminder of the family's cross to bear and etc. Do we realize not accepting one another regardless of any intellectual feats or no feats, is communicating rejection and exclusion? That the person's self esteem and self awareness take such a hit and can lead to all sorts of actions and reactions just to earn the family's acceptance? What is more important to us as a family? That our relative is alive and trying their best as a human being, or that they become say a PhD holder just so that...? Do we consciously or unconsciously celebrate more those who 'achieve' intellectual success, and bash those lack 'intellectual intelligence'? Is our worth as a human being defined by any intellectual success or failure whatever those mean today? I have studied a lot in different areas and accumulated some intellectual knowledge and 'certificates', but I just laugh when I feel like my worth or acceptance in my nucleus is based to a large extent on those titles or 'achievements' ha. And I laugh again because I may not even be making half as much money as some who don't have the same 'intellectual' journey right? Why should we as a family do this to our own? Putting ridiculous pressure even unconsciously on the member to keep studying and feeling like that's the best they can do to make their family proud ha. I had almost gone further down that trap too when I registered for a PhD last year. But in the stress and melee of it all, I stopped for breath and asked myself some questions. The answers made me drop out with no explanation given to anyone, I had had it Amen. God bless us. #accepteachother #LetGodnLovelead https://www.instagram.com/p/B4HAnLWg_7s/?igshid=tnp2vhyhxosn