Went to pick up a parcel.
The guy at the counter acted like I was the fifth problem of his day.
I just needed my own package.
Why does asking for what’s yours sometimes feel like a favour?
I visited an office today.
The receptionist looked so annoyed you'd think I interrupted her retirement.
I apologized for asking where the washroom was.
Customer service shouldn't feel like you're begging for a favor.
I used to think my younger brothers asked me for permission because I was the second daughter.
Now I know that wasn’t it.
It was trust.
One of them would walk into my room and stand there quietly.
I’d look up and ask,
“What have you done?” 😂
He’d laugh.
“Nothing.”
That “nothing” usually meant there was definitely something.
Sometimes he wanted advice.
Sometimes he wanted me to speak to Mum first.
Sometimes he simply wanted to know what I thought before making a decision.
The funny thing is, I never noticed when that started happening.
Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, my brothers had quietly decided,
“Let’s ask Jennifer.”
I don’t take that lightly.
Because the older I get, the more I realize people don’t seek your opinion just because you’re older.
They seek it because they trust your heart.
Looking back, I think that’s one of the greatest compliments my brothers have ever given me.
The confidence that they could bring me anything and know I’d always want what was best for them.
The lesson here is that influence is sometimes just simply becoming the person your family instinctively turns to when they need guidance, honesty, or a safe place to think out loud.
ImANorthernGirl
I never imagined the one person I kept defending would be the one to break my heart.
When I married my husband, I came into the marriage with a little girl from my previous relationship.
I knew blending families wouldn't be easy, but I believed love could bridge every gap.
My mother-in-law never seemed to feel the same.
She was always polite around others, but there was a coldness whenever my daughter was involved.
I ignored it, convinced myself I was overthinking, and kept praying that one day she would accept her as her own.