My good Friday was great.

My work day was short.

Lunch with Brittani.

Watching the storm on the porch with Kelli, Sam, Lauren and Shawn.

Belcourt with my favorite couple, Anna and TJ.

A movie so scary that I almost jumped into Anna’s lap.

Text from a beautiful lady throughout the day.

Swinging till midnight, listening to Lauren play and sing, while chatting with her and Shawn.

Catching up Chelsea and Rose over wine and grilled cheese.

Playing Monopoly with Samantha, Megan and Kelli.

Catching up.

Living the dream wide away.

Peace and love filled my heart.

Happy. Complete. Excited.

Then the call.

“We think it’s best if you don’t come over here today, because we don’t want to expose your lifestyle to the children. They are so impressionable,” said my aunt.

My reply, “Well, of course they are. They are children, after all. However, my lifestyle isn’t contagious, nor would I be disrespectful and bring it up. It’s Easter. I just want to see everyone. You told me at Christmas that you wouldn’t do this again.”

She started talking but as part of my defense mechanism, I shut down and quit listening. I ended the conversation by simply saying, “Happy Easter. I hope you all enjoy this beautiful day.”

As I sat in my car gathering my emotions, I realized that it is time to let go.

I spent twenty minutes in that parking lot attempting to stop the tears flowing down my face.

Spending my summer vacations in Louisiana were some of the happiest times of my life.

I’ll forever cherish the memories.

We share the same bloodline and history.

….but that doesn’t make them my family.

I’ve been holding on to something that I lost a long time ago. The connection doesn’t seem to exist anymore.

Why do I care do deeply for people that only judge me and fail at loving me?

It’s my nature to love. I love myself enough these days to let go of the people that can’t love me back.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

I don’t have a magical switch that can shut down how I feel. I can and will love these people from afar. Without letting them break me any further.

Family

Isn’t necessarily the people that share our blood.

It’s the people that adopt us into their life and love us.

It’s the people that care enough to spend time with us.

It’s the people that forgive your past.

It’s the people that are actively invested in us.

It’s full of many different people that love and accept us simply for who we truly are without wanting to change us.

Sometimes family consists of the people that you choose.

Sometimes we are lucky enough to be chosen by the best people to call our family.

❤

JMS