When have you loved really well?

I thought I knew what there was to know about love, until I became a parent. I’m sure many can relate to that.

My path to parenthood was different than the paths of most parents. I became an instant parent of three, emigrating from another country… an 8 year old, a 10 year old, and a 13 year old, who came with their father, whom they had only lived with full time for a few years. They were not all related to my husband, either, the eldest had been displaced many times, and they all had quite a lot of emotional baggage. My husband, basically, had rescued them.

On the first day I promised them two things (and told them so).
I would always love them,
And I would always be there for them.

I have held onto that promise with a fierceness I have never known, through many, many trials and tribulations.

I didn’t always do things right. Some of my choices could have been much better. I did the best I could with what I knew at the time. But they have certainly taught me much about love.

They rarely call me mom. I never required them to. But when they do it is such a treasure!

It is even more of a treasure to see them resolve the issues they brought with them, and to turn into people I both like and admire… people not of my creation, but of their own.

They taught me how to love others better, too. My husband and I had quite a rough road at times, but we travelled it together, stuck with each other, and are closer for it and love each other so deeply now.

Love isn’t always perfect, at least in the sense that we don’t have to be perfect people to love deeply, devotedly, and sometimes selflessly. That we love… it helps us to grow as we strive to be better for our partner or our children. I’m not sure, but to me, I don’t think love is always harmonious. Harmony is wonderful, but it doesn’t feel like it’s required for a great deal of love.

I’m sorry i’m so wordy… I hope you guys don’t mind. I get rolling and my fingers just fly as fast as I think.