Be Thankful For Special People
Another nice thing about growing older (there are many) is to clearly understand the separation between the material accoutrements and the truly good stuff–the special people in your life who make it rich, in immaterialistic ways.
Parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, acquaintances and even people we don’t know personally, each have contributed positively to our lives. Something they’ve said or done, an impression they’ve left us with, a lesson taught, inspiration or encouragement given, a parting word, a tender lesson or mercy imparted at just the right time. This person may have caused a shift in our thinking or altered our perception of a long-held belief system. And we love them for that!
Then again, it could be a truly fantastic tip, or that they introduced us to a small café that makes the most amazing triple layer chocolate cake! No kidding. It’s slightly materialistic, but let’s agree to count this one. I mean, it’s chocolate, okay?
Being in love, whether it’s the friendship, family love, or that deeper, personal, soulmate love, is an intangible gift. We know this intellectually. We’d give up all our stuff in a heartbeat to save one of these precious souls. To thank our special people, privately or publicly, is to give a voice to those who make our life worth living.
I am thankful for the security that my “old” love delivers each day. The coffee he delivers to me in bed. The beach walks we take that require few words other than: “Wow. Beautiful. Lucky. Grateful. Blessed.”
After all these years there’s lots of conversation we don’t need. How refreshing!
We don’t need much, a few staples, like wine, good cheese and toilet paper! We don’t subscribe to commercially designed expressions of love.
To honor our simple brand of romance is to sit on opposite sides of the couch while he watches a ballgame and I write or read. Content. Happy. In love. Occasionally we let our toes touch. (A nudge usually means: Hey, who’s getting the coffee or is it too early to open the wine?)
I am thankful for the love and stability of my “old” friendships. No matter how much time goes by in between, dear, sweet friends pick right back up and continue the conversation. I am blessed with a handful of incredibly special people, each charged with feeding my soul for different reasons, and me theirs.
The joy of my children has no material equal on this planet. They represent the cycle of life, extensions of me.
Just at the moment we tire from tedium of childrearing, we celebrate with renewed energy the possibility of the next generation: grandchildren. And those little darlings trump their parents!
When all the homes, cars, boats, stocks, bonds, jewels, fancy décor, awards, and the lot are stripped away, it comes down to the people in your inner circle. Because of them we laugh a little bit longer, sing a bit louder and love much more deeply.
Original graphic and prose: Stephanie DelTorchio
Image: Mayur Gala/Unsplash