Sometimes, developing our spiritual side requires us to be a little selfish.  Family members and friends may not understand what we are doing and why we give these spiritual activities such importance.  And trying to convince them to participate is, sadly, often a wasted effort.  You just can't make people become spiritual when they are not ready, so you have to be selfish sometimes and do things without them.
    This need to be a little selfish bothers some people and even causes some to give up on spiritual development.  It shouldn't.  Even Jesus understood this when he was told that his mother and brothers were outside waiting to see him and he replied that those he was with were his true brothers and mothers.  He wasn't indicating that family and friends are not important, only that our obligations to God, meaning developing our spiritual self, has greater priority.