Drinking every day – even just one to two casual glasses of wine on a weeknight – can play a huge part in numbing emotions that should be experienced and dealt with, rather than ignored. Last night I came to a hypothetical wall in my sober month and just became overwhelmed with emotion. And I mean overwhelmed. I just started crying about how much my parents loved me; how much time they’ve dedicated to loving me, and making sure I grew into a functional adult (still working on that part).
I watched a video on the inspirational Upworthy website last week – if you haven’t heard of it, or looked at it in a while, you can check it out here. The video depicted a bunch of average young adults writing letters to those people that inspired them, and then being asked to read the letter to the people of whom it was about. It was absolutely beautiful stuff. Sometimes we take for granted the expression of our love and gratitude for those closest to us in life. We forget to remind them, time and time again, how much their support and leadership is truly admired.
This is for those people in my life.
#1:
This woman is my biggest inspiration. I’ve pushed her to her limit one too many times but she never forgets what’s important in our relationship. She always manages to find the perfect balance between disappointment and encouragement, discipline and freedom. I couldn’t ask for a better mother and role model. She’s taught me some of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned. Just because people make bad choices doesn’t make them bad people. Just because you’re in the wrong now doesn’t mean you always will be. And just because you’re not on the right path doesn’t mean you can’t change it. She has always been my biggest supporter in following what makes me truly happy and not just what other people expect me to do. Our life path isn’t set in stone, we must forge our own path to be happy and this takes a lot of trial and error.
#2:
While I was lying in bed last night listening to the murmur of my roommates television set I was suddenly taken back to my first house – almost like déjà vu. I remember lying in the same bed at the age of 13 or 14 after having a remarkably bad day in high school (because let’s get real, who didn’t every once in a while) and my dad would crack the door and say goodnight, or come in and give me a kiss on the forehead. I would start crying after he left, not out of sadness, but because in that moment I could just tell how much he loved me and would always love me. In my younger years I was a huge ‘Daddy’s Girl’. I’d sleep on the couch until he got home from working late shifts just to hear him say goodnight. My dad has never been the most stable about anything except for the love he carries for his family, especially his children. That’s one thing I’ll always be able to rely on. He went through ups and downs but has always managed to get back on stable ground. It amazes me how such a great person can struggle so hard with realizing how great he is, and how important he is in the eyes of many. I hope he never forgets that.
#3:
Somehow this guy has been a part of my life since I was 13 and I haven’t gotten sick of him. Rare. He’s a great friend, but even more than that, I see him as a sort of muse to my creativity. I can be in a month long lull where I won’t write a single thing and just a few simple words of encouragement from him can spark something – something like the idea for this article, for example. I see him as a little fist that knocks on the light bulb above my head that temporarily went out (or maybe he claps, if the light bulb is a clapper). Either way, the intelligent and eloquent manner he converses in often helps put my ideas in order. Often it’s not the idea that I’m lacking, but the motivation to produce a finished product. He can help to provide the missing words.
#4:
I have a lot of respect for this man simply due to his honest and direct nature. He doesn’t filter his words in order to please others and the admiration they feel for him because of this fact is obvious. It takes a backbone to tell people something that they may not really want to hear, but that they need to hear. This isn’t to say he has absolutely no filter – he knows how to carry on a civilized conversation. But if he gets a phone call from a telemarketer while he’s busy… let’s just say you don’t want to be on the other end of that phone call. Not only is he perfectly outspoken, he cares a lot about the people that are close to him. It’s entirely too obvious. A self-titled “half man, half unicorn” he’s not afraid to be different and in turn he inspires others to do the same.
#5:
Four years older than me, he’s always been a source of leadership. That being said, I never modeled my behaviour after his although I probably should have. As siblings we couldn’t be more opposite. He’s grounded, committed, safe and responsible. He takes risks but calculates them in advance and I couldn’t be more proud of the person he is today. I know I could turn to him in a time of need and he would help me without a second’s hesitation and I’m sure he would do his best to do the same for a stranger if they were in a sticky situation.
It’s not that I didn’t realize how many amazing people I had in my life before, but I’m just now realizing how blessed I am to know these people and that their presence should never, ever be taken for granted. Thanks to these and the countless others that make me happy to be the person I am. Much love!
KG
call me KG 