On my forty-first birthday, I find myself thankful. I appreciate how lucky I am to be spending my days with a wonderful partner I trust in every way. I appreciate my healthy children and the time I share with them. I appreciate my employment and what it allows me to provide. These things are to be expected and should come as a surprise to nobody.
However, this year, I have a more profound appreciation for something I’ve always taken for granted – the loyalty and support of my original family; my parents and brothers. While this may seem mundane and unoriginal, I have learned that for some, it is not necessarily to be expected. I have always known that I can trust these constants in my life; they will not do me harm. They will not engage in selfish acts of recklessness against me in order to gain something for themselves or some third party not of our blood whom they want to impress. They will not lie about me, attempt to turn others against me, or aid those who oppose me. They respect the boundaries I have built around the primary family for which I am responsible and they do not intrude. They forgive me for forgetting to call or write, as they forgive me for being busy and making things other than them a priority.
I have recently found myself in the position of having to demonstrate these family values. My daughter should not be surprised. People come and go in our lives. We may like them and we may wish them well, but blood is forever. My children can count on me and they will never question my love or loyalty. It is the way I was raised and for that, as age creeps up on me, I am thankful.
