I Climbed the Tree to See the World

Life

Things are so different now than they were even a month ago. So much had changed. I have been tested, and for once I can say that I am truly proud of my decisions I have made and the leaps I have taken as I grow. I’ve realized family is such a delicate thing, even more than I had imagined. Times were tough, but in the end we made it through. And at the end of the day, it will always be like that. I hate to admit it, but I honestly thought it would not work out that way. But it did. I know it sounds so cliché, but it’s true. Friends come and go in and out of your life, but your family will always be there for you. We are blessed beyond measure that the Lord gave us unconditional love. Where would we be without it? Just think about it. My father is a perfect example of this. I will always love him, and respect him no matter what. He is a great man and sometimes, I do not attribute any credibility to that. But I should. I love him. He is my daddy, and I will always cherish the times we spent together. Dancing in the living room to David Gray while he picked me up and swung me around in my little nighty. Or the times when we spend all afternoon just watching cartoons. I miss that. My father and I’s relationship has slowly dwindled from what it used to be, though. This weekend, I had the privilege of spending sometime alone with him. Sunday night, we went to dinner together. Well while we were eating, it started POURING -and eventually started hailing. Everyone else in the restaurant either left for home or started to take duck-and-cover. And if there is one thing other than his humor that I have taken from him, it’s the way that almost nothing frightens us. I am strong just like him, so we both thought it was absolutely ridiculous that people were being such wimps, so we just continued dinner like nothing was wrong while we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. It was quite humorous, actually. When we were done, we were on the way to his house and he asked me if I had seen a local site, and I hadn’t. So as we were passing it, he just spontaneously pulled the car to this humongo hole where they store gravel and stuff to make roads. Think Grand Canyon-esque but a tad smaller. It had just stopped storming, but still a bit rainy. We walked over to the bridge, and I became overwhelmed with how deep it was, it was actually really beautiful in a weird, weird way. At that point I was just taken back. I had never known my father to be so willing to act on impulse, it was just the cutest thing. It was a different feeling. One I hadn’t had with him in years. It’s just one of those moments I’ll cherish and take with me. Granted, our situation is not ideal… but that does not stop me from adoring my father like he deserves. I encourage you to do the same. If you take anything from this, take the idea that our days here are numbered. We are bound through blood for a reason. You are your sister’s sister, your brother’s brother, your mother’s son, and father’s daughter. You are your aunt’s niece, your uncles nephew, your cousin’s cousin, and your grandmother’s granddaughter. That is special. God intended us to love the ones we are connected to. Honor and respect them. Each and everyone of them, even the ones younger than you because one day they will look back and love you for being a hand of the Body. The unconditional love never fades. If you have a rocky relationship with anyone- even outside your family. I encourage you to make the effort. We are meant to build relationships that will last. We are meant to share the love of Christ through everyone we possibly can. You are imperative to this. You are loved. Unconditionally.