The enduring love of my sister, who is there in loving kindness, generous, caring and reliable, a treasure to her daughter and to the ones she is with; the love of my dear friend who called and sang a birthday song right after she got up in the morning just to make sure it would be with me when I get up; The love of my friends who are there for me and I for them when times might be rough as well as when times are beautiful; The love of the one who is expressing his enduring love through accompanying me through confronting me with unsolved stuff in order to become able to let go of, patiently offering space to pass one or another eye of a needle and waiting at the same other side; the love of a kind stranger whose heart was big enough to softly console me when I was so sad… and all the unnamed whose enduring love is with me. I carry it all with me in deep gratefulness
My dad’s. I have a photo of him holding me in a rocking chair while I suck on a baby bottle. I’m lucky to have had him for a father. And I’m grateful to his sister for taking that photo!
My daughters, parents and grandparents, siblings, a couple of dear friends. All have loved and supported me through these many years. I have been blessed.
My parents’ love for absolutely sure, in spite of their emotional and financial challenges and hardships raising me and my siblings. I never doubted their love and support of me, and in the past often took it for granted.
My friend, Diane, with whom I am spending a week of my summer vacation. We have know each other for 20 years, and she has been an example of real kindness and acceptance and non-judgement always.
As the start of the school year approaches, I carry enduring love and warmth in me for one of my young ESL students, Daniel, who alas, will no longer be attending my school this year. I will always remember his bright, curious face, his energy and enthusiasm for life and learning. May you be surrounded with love in life as you spread your joy to all around you.
My parents; even though they weren’t people who said the words out loud, I knew I was loved.
My younger sister; I imagine my older siblings love me too, but she and I were a team (the “little kids”) and are always there for each other.
My daughters, who have grown into amazing women.
My sweetheart, who wasn’t my first husband but is definitely my *best* husband and the love of my life.
My grandma on my mom’s side, who taught me to knit and tat and bowl and always had “grandma cookies” (what we called the little rectangular waffle cookies with cream flavors in pink, yellow/vanilla, and chocolate).
The person that I want to write about is Eleanor who was my neighbor for many years. She was a mother figure who was always interested in me and my activities, dried my tears, shared her wisdom, and always said, “I love you honey.” I miss her very much.
Along with these things, she let me be there for her too. I took her food, shoveled her drive sometimes, and she called me once to be with her when the ambulance came after a fall and then at the ER.
Your best friends are the ones you can call in the middle of the night.
I am also grateful for my loving husband who puts up with me.
Well, I’ll leave that decision to you, Rabbit 😐
I was shocked at the forgotten complaints I had about my husband, in my journals, before my divorce after 33 yrs 🙁
My adult daughter told me I complained about him but he didn’t complain about me 🙂
my best friend , he’s my person no matter what the situation. Although we clash love always wins between us in the best way. His type of love is a silent supportive love. He expresses it through actions rather than words. it feels like ive known him forever even tho its only been two years. I feel this joy when im around him thats like no other and constantly crave it. I do need to set boundaries with our relationship but right now im grateful for the love and support he gives me.
My Father’s. He died 25 years ago, at my current age of 53. Despite him beating me physically and emotionally until I turned 13, when he became happily married for the first time in his life and redeemed himself, to this day, he is the only person whom I believe truly loved me. When I reflect back on how difficult it must’ve been for him to do the right thing for me while my mother undermined him every step of the way and selfishly furnished me and my sister with the easy/better life (chock full of nothingness), I realize how much he must have loved me. I now use that Love as strength to do the same for my 4 sons, while their mother provides them with the easy life and undermines and discredits me every step of the way. Am I the only one who is eerily reliving their past?
Mica – thanks for the reply and I know no other way to do it, thanks to my father, and I do in fact recognize her important role in their lives. And should they say something unkind and judge mental about her, I quickly remind them of her value and leave her shortcomings for them to uncover. It’s a crazy dialectic – Each time I support her, my heart and soul see’s it as an opportunity to provide them with stability and love in the face of insecurity and uncertainty. That said, on the inside, my ego views it as a way to accumulate points, while possessing the knowledge they will favor me over her when they mature and look back on these times through a different lens. This knowledge burdens me and when the door is closed behind me, I try not to relish in the moments and feel sad for them – that they won’t view both their parents in the same light. I wish their mother would do the same but she cannot control herself and I cannot control her, just like my father couldn’t control my mother. And I communicate that to her in a kind and loving manner when appropriate but despite her knowing my story, she repeats the sins of my mother. I think they both suffer from Narcissism. They both despise each other but if their names were not associated with their behaviors, one wouldn’t be able to tell the two people apart. Thanks to my path, I take solace in the knowledge that my children will undoubtedly recognize what I did later in life, that both of my parents did the best they could with what they had. And I know they wont have to wait as long as I did to heal their resentments towards their mother, or me for that matter. Thank you for the opportunity to share.
And Thank You, GR8FULL. Indeed, I married my mother, too – I was an obedient child and an obedient wife til I divorced after 33 yrs of marriage, when my ‘baby’ turned 21 🙂 – my mother once said my husband was just a Big Baby, and I didn’t reply that she was just a Big 2-Year-Old! And now, happily, both are behind me! My dear father was a remote but loving part of the story, and that played a part in my choice of a husband, too – the ‘remote’ part… 😐 It’s a treat to be able to reply to you, GR8FULL 🙂ps – Narcissism describes my former husband, too 🙁
The questions have been thought provoking this week. I am glowing from gratefulness as I think of all the love I’ve been fortified with. Since it’s unending, there’s too much to list. First and foremost my beautiful parents, I am their hopes and dreams. Everything I am is from their sacrifices. My husband, who texts me at least 5 times a day to say “love you babe”, my children who may be grumpy with me that day, lol. My spiritual teachers, my animal companions, need I say more…
I carry my wife, Cheryl, enduring love. She has loved me through periods of relapse and now gives me loving support in my sober recovery journey. We have been married 34 years this past Aug. 6 . I am grateful for her strength in seeing the real me through my alcohol abuse.
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Family that have loved me through it all. I am so grateful for them.
The enduring love of my sister, who is there in loving kindness, generous, caring and reliable, a treasure to her daughter and to the ones she is with; the love of my dear friend who called and sang a birthday song right after she got up in the morning just to make sure it would be with me when I get up; The love of my friends who are there for me and I for them when times might be rough as well as when times are beautiful; The love of the one who is expressing his enduring love through accompanying me through confronting me with unsolved stuff in order to become able to let go of, patiently offering space to pass one or another eye of a needle and waiting at the same other side; the love of a kind stranger whose heart was big enough to softly console me when I was so sad… and all the unnamed whose enduring love is with me. I carry it all with me in deep gratefulness
The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.
Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere.
They’re in each other all along.
Rumi
beautiful.
My dad’s. I have a photo of him holding me in a rocking chair while I suck on a baby bottle. I’m lucky to have had him for a father. And I’m grateful to his sister for taking that photo!
My daughters, parents and grandparents, siblings, a couple of dear friends. All have loved and supported me through these many years. I have been blessed.
The love of my daughter, a good friend of mine, my teacher, my parents and the one who is always with me ( myself ).
My parents’ love for absolutely sure, in spite of their emotional and financial challenges and hardships raising me and my siblings. I never doubted their love and support of me, and in the past often took it for granted.
My friend, Diane, with whom I am spending a week of my summer vacation. We have know each other for 20 years, and she has been an example of real kindness and acceptance and non-judgement always.
As the start of the school year approaches, I carry enduring love and warmth in me for one of my young ESL students, Daniel, who alas, will no longer be attending my school this year. I will always remember his bright, curious face, his energy and enthusiasm for life and learning. May you be surrounded with love in life as you spread your joy to all around you.
My parents; even though they weren’t people who said the words out loud, I knew I was loved.
My younger sister; I imagine my older siblings love me too, but she and I were a team (the “little kids”) and are always there for each other.
My daughters, who have grown into amazing women.
My sweetheart, who wasn’t my first husband but is definitely my *best* husband and the love of my life.
My grandma on my mom’s side, who taught me to knit and tat and bowl and always had “grandma cookies” (what we called the little rectangular waffle cookies with cream flavors in pink, yellow/vanilla, and chocolate).
The person that I want to write about is Eleanor who was my neighbor for many years. She was a mother figure who was always interested in me and my activities, dried my tears, shared her wisdom, and always said, “I love you honey.” I miss her very much.
Along with these things, she let me be there for her too. I took her food, shoveled her drive sometimes, and she called me once to be with her when the ambulance came after a fall and then at the ER.
Your best friends are the ones you can call in the middle of the night.
I am also grateful for my loving husband who puts up with me.
Oh, Rabbit – you probably put up with your husband, too 🙂
Yes, good point. Maybe I should tell him that. 🥰
Well, I’ll leave that decision to you, Rabbit 😐
I was shocked at the forgotten complaints I had about my husband, in my journals, before my divorce after 33 yrs 🙁
My adult daughter told me I complained about him but he didn’t complain about me 🙂
my best friend , he’s my person no matter what the situation. Although we clash love always wins between us in the best way. His type of love is a silent supportive love. He expresses it through actions rather than words. it feels like ive known him forever even tho its only been two years. I feel this joy when im around him thats like no other and constantly crave it. I do need to set boundaries with our relationship but right now im grateful for the love and support he gives me.
My Father’s. He died 25 years ago, at my current age of 53. Despite him beating me physically and emotionally until I turned 13, when he became happily married for the first time in his life and redeemed himself, to this day, he is the only person whom I believe truly loved me. When I reflect back on how difficult it must’ve been for him to do the right thing for me while my mother undermined him every step of the way and selfishly furnished me and my sister with the easy/better life (chock full of nothingness), I realize how much he must have loved me. I now use that Love as strength to do the same for my 4 sons, while their mother provides them with the easy life and undermines and discredits me every step of the way. Am I the only one who is eerily reliving their past?
The painful and the pleasant co-mingle. Thank you for being vulnerable.
Oh dear, GR8FULL – I hope you support their mother, too, who is also providing important things for them! 😐
Mica – thanks for the reply and I know no other way to do it, thanks to my father, and I do in fact recognize her important role in their lives. And should they say something unkind and judge mental about her, I quickly remind them of her value and leave her shortcomings for them to uncover. It’s a crazy dialectic – Each time I support her, my heart and soul see’s it as an opportunity to provide them with stability and love in the face of insecurity and uncertainty. That said, on the inside, my ego views it as a way to accumulate points, while possessing the knowledge they will favor me over her when they mature and look back on these times through a different lens. This knowledge burdens me and when the door is closed behind me, I try not to relish in the moments and feel sad for them – that they won’t view both their parents in the same light. I wish their mother would do the same but she cannot control herself and I cannot control her, just like my father couldn’t control my mother. And I communicate that to her in a kind and loving manner when appropriate but despite her knowing my story, she repeats the sins of my mother. I think they both suffer from Narcissism. They both despise each other but if their names were not associated with their behaviors, one wouldn’t be able to tell the two people apart. Thanks to my path, I take solace in the knowledge that my children will undoubtedly recognize what I did later in life, that both of my parents did the best they could with what they had. And I know they wont have to wait as long as I did to heal their resentments towards their mother, or me for that matter. Thank you for the opportunity to share.
And Thank You, GR8FULL. Indeed, I married my mother, too – I was an obedient child and an obedient wife til I divorced after 33 yrs of marriage, when my ‘baby’ turned 21 🙂 – my mother once said my husband was just a Big Baby, and I didn’t reply that she was just a Big 2-Year-Old! And now, happily, both are behind me! My dear father was a remote but loving part of the story, and that played a part in my choice of a husband, too – the ‘remote’ part… 😐 It’s a treat to be able to reply to you, GR8FULL 🙂ps – Narcissism describes my former husband, too 🙁
My mom’s. She’s been gone from the physical world for more than 20 years, but thoughts of her continue to provide me with strength and courage.
God’s love has never faltered…even when I have doubted myself. My husband, my friends, my church- all are such blessings.
The questions have been thought provoking this week. I am glowing from gratefulness as I think of all the love I’ve been fortified with. Since it’s unending, there’s too much to list. First and foremost my beautiful parents, I am their hopes and dreams. Everything I am is from their sacrifices. My husband, who texts me at least 5 times a day to say “love you babe”, my children who may be grumpy with me that day, lol. My spiritual teachers, my animal companions, need I say more…
I carry my wife, Cheryl, enduring love. She has loved me through periods of relapse and now gives me loving support in my sober recovery journey. We have been married 34 years this past Aug. 6 . I am grateful for her strength in seeing the real me through my alcohol abuse.
“One day at a time,” Joseph. Right? My hope and my prayer this morning is that your healing and right-living continues for a lifetime.
Keep on keeping on,
dear Joseph . . .
you can do it,
and you have the advantage of someone who loves you. ♥