A Good Week

This week has been a very emotional week for me. It was my father’s birthday. He would have been 89 years old, but he left this mortal sphere three years ago. It seems like everything I did or looked at reminded me of him. He was one of the major influences in my life as far as making me what I am today and I miss him.

It was also my oldest daughter’s birthday, the one that made me a mother. This caused me to think about all of my children and how much I love them and how they have influenced my life and changed me. I’ve often heard people talk about the influence that parents have in children's lives, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk about the influence children have been in parent's lives. Maybe we think that because we are older we are supposed to be the ones influencing. But in my case, my children have influenced me more than I ever influenced them. They are amazing and I learn from them daily. They support me and one another. They live all over the world—from Africa in the East to California in the West and yet they manage to be each others best friends. Even my one son, who could be the odd man out, is very much involved with his sisters. They love him and he loves them. They are always there for each other. Watching them love and care for each other is one of the greatest joys of my life.

This doesn’t mean we have never had problems. What it does mean is that together we have weathered the problems. We have forgiven and forgotten and moved on. Such a simple thing that forgiving and forgetting is and yet so many find it so hard to do. If I could have a wish it would be that everyone could learn to do it. It makes all the difference in life.