Sometimes life has a way of surprising you when you least expect it. This morning, I was sitting at the sewing machine making bumper pads for our baby-to-be's crib, and I was listening to Steven Curtis Chapman on Brian's iPod. I had never really listened to this particular album before, and a song came on called "What I Would Say". The next thing I knew, I was a sobbing puddle of tears. The song is an adult son's words to his father who abandoned the family...the words he was never able to say to him. Although I could relate to his sense of father-abandonment, the lyrics that really touched and moved me were these:
I'd love to tell you how the lovely girl you married,
She's been my hero and a treasure to us all.
All I could think about was you, and how his words described exactly what you mean to me and to our family!
I really didn't mean for my birthday letter to you to have any mention of Dad or the divorce or anything like that. But I guess it was such a pivotal time in our family's life. It was the moment when you, Jill and I decided that we would not fall apart, but we would unite and become the Trimphant Trio. In truth, I don't know that it was even a decision that had to be made--it was just understood, because that is who we always were and still are...devoted, there for each other, FAMILY! And while Dad's abandonment was probably one of my life's greatest sources of pain and hurt, your ongoing presence in my life was one of the greatest sources of unconditional love and healing. You really are my hero, and absolutely a TREASURE to us all!
Thank you for being a hero to me and a treasure to our whole family. You earned such status not because you're the mother or grandmother, but because you are Mom and Nana...always there with your presence in our lives, freely giving of your love.
We are abundantly blessed!
I love you forever, my dear Mom, and I'm forever grateful to you for the legacy of love and commitment to family that you have imprinted indelibly on my heart and life.
Big birthday HUGS,
Tracy
