I recently read a story about balcony and basement people. Balcony people cheer you on and use their words to lift you up. Basement people, on the other hand, bring you down with their words. When we read this description, certain people come to mind. We can all be balcony people, but we can easily become basement people too. Sometimes, it is those closest to us that we treat as basement people because we feel secure in their love and lash out. I know I need to do better with that. The balcony/basement analogy is one that will stick with me. Even when those closest to us act as basement people, our response as balcony people can stop the cycle of destruction in our relationships. This is what true love is, according to 1 Corinthians 13: “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs… It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” Now, translate these principles into how we respond to those we love. Replace the word