The “R’ in the R.A.N.C.H. acronym for Level Four stands for ‘Relationships.’ Relationships, by Merriam Webster dictionary definition, are ‘the relations connecting or binding participants.’ Relationships are important to maintain and cultivate constructively, because the positive relationships we have between each other are essential to our lives.
At the therapeutic boarding school Resolution Ranch most of the residents have had a bad relationship with their families in the past. One of the reasons for our parents placing us in a program is to better our relationships. It has worked for me, as well as many other teenagers that reside at the
Ranch. Staff member Autumn Brown said, ”Relationships are the most important things we have on this planet! Humans are meant to be in relationships with one another. Often times relationships are messy and true growth comes from working through the messiness of that relationship.” How can we work through relationships?
“We went from having no communication at all at the start of my stay, to communicating well and having normal conversations. ”
— John P., Resident
Communication, or willingness to hold a discussion, and forgiveness, are two important key factors in improving one’s relationship with another. We are bestowed with these tools here to help refine the relationships we have with our families. There are multiple sides to every story, and in the spectrum of disagreements we may have with someone, we must try and see their point of view. This ties into forgiveness because you don’t always know someone’s view on a situation, so you must forgive that person.
Jason J, a resident of Resolution Ranch said, “Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness but because you deserve peace.” It is important to let go of resentments we have towards our parents and other family members, and vice versa. When you forgive someone, it makes the relationship easier to work through because if you are holding a grudge against that person, it is hard to improve the relationship.
While I have been at Resolution Ranch, I have put a lot of effort into communicating with my parents and improving our relationship. We went from having no communication at all at the start of my stay, to communicating well and having normal conversations. My parents and I both had good communication and willingness to talk to each other, the two important tools to improving a relationship.
