A very special person in my life, my sister, lost her father on Saturday. Even though she'd suspected his time was coming, it's never an easy or pleasant experience in life when we lose somebody we love. I hope his soul rests in peace and that she finds peace in the days to come. The coolest thing, though, is that through her life no matter how far away or what the circumstances, her father always made time to call her and ALWAYS told her he was proud of who she was. What a gift!! Some people go their whole lives without a person to say "I'm proud of you"...and as successful as she is, it must have had an impact.
It got me thinking about who those people are in my life. As women, we're deeply rooted in our families. My family has definitely shaped me into the person I am today. That little boy in the picture above taught me to think for myself, to be inventive and creative, to sing, to respect others and give to them any time you can, to work hard even when it hurts, to never give up even when others tell you to, to love and respect all of God's creatures, that there really are second chances, and to thank The Good Lord for everything...he's my dad. That silky haired lady in pink taught me how to cook, she taught me to have pride in my family, she taught me class, how to mix a good drink and when she lost her eyesight, she taught me perseverance...she's my grandma. My other grandmother is sitting next to her. She taught me compassion, that there's a silver lining behind every cloud, she taught me kindness, to be content with the blessing's God's given you, not to judge others and also a love for musical instruments. One thing they all did? They always told me they were proud of me.
There are three pictures left up there...my mom:) What a beauty eh? People say I look like her, but I also hope they say I can sing beautifully like she does or that I turn as many heads when I walk in the room. I got my confidence from her, my eye for fashion and interior design, my LOUD but infectious laugh, my acting/entertaining ability, my respect for elders, my ability to throw a heck of a party or to take charge of the task at hand, my artistic ability and so much of my wisdom about life! I couldn't list all the things she's given me, but I do know that whoever I am or whatever I do she is proud of me and for that, this Thursday is HER day... Thanks mom;)
Thinking about my sister's loss, I decided that I needed to thank those who've encouraged me through my life and how good it still feels to hear it. Also, that I needed to make it a priority to lift my son up, making sure he knows I'm proud of him every day. Tell your children you're proud of them, no matter what their age. They want to hear it....don't you?
Thank you for this inspiration. I too will tell my children how proud I am of them, no matter!
ReplyDelete