After my Dad died, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't wait to tell people what they meant to me.
It seemed that when people die, that's when everyone shares how they've touched their lives. Why not share that when they are alive to hear it?
So I wrote a few blogs about a few people and started making an effort to tell people what they meant to me in person or via messages/letters etc. I haven't been as good at that in more recent years but want to get back to it.
Recently, someone went "mama bear" on my behalf, and I was overwhelmed with her love and protectiveness of my heart.
It is extra sweet because it wasn't always this way.
We became connected because I married her brother.
In the beginning, she didn't really have much time for me, and I wasn't sure what to think of her.
Over the years, experiences brought separation, but then there were experiences that brought us close together.
There were moments where we hurt one another, not intentionally, but hurt nonetheless.
Over the decades, we both grew, matured, and found ourselves at a place where we could invest in each other.
What we found when we did that, is a mutual respect, fierce loyalty and unconditional love.
She is someone I would go to war for.
I love and appreciate her so immensely that it is impossible to measure.
When I think about where we started versus where we are, I am grateful.
It can be easy to dismiss and shut out people who hurt us or who we don't understand, but this often means we are missing out on great meaningful relationships that end up being our core group.
She is so fierce in her loyalty to those she loves.
She makes no excuses for herself and works hard to make sure she gets done what is needed for her family.
She is one who will drop it all to be there if you need her.
She is my sister-in-law and I am SO thankful we found our way to this place.
Where I cherish her.
We went from tolerating one another because we were family through marriage, to being sisters. Period.
Not because of marriage.
Not because we have to.
But, because we chose to.
What a gift that is.
She is a sister to me completely and I am so thankful we never cut each other out of our lives.
In some ways, I think we appreciate each other even more now that we have shared our hearts with one another, the hurt included, and began to understand where the other one came from.
We value our time together and make an effort to hear one another and protect each other's hearts.
Also, we laugh... a lot!
Mikelle, you are a treasure and a joy and I love you!
This awesome thing we have was worth the wait!
What a beautiful and personal story and one to cherish. A happy forever ending shared by two people who love the same man!
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