April Showers
by Anonymous
It rained all day yesterday, an appropriate forecast for my first bridal shower.
Even more than the lovely gifts and the delicious food, I was grateful for so many wild, wise and wonderful women together in one room. They hooted and hollered, told stories and made connections, hugged and recalled where and when they first met me. As they introduced themselves to the group, I realized that I am related to them indirectly or not at all, though I call most of them my aunts. My mother's distant cousins are not so distant and her friendships have birthed mentors and role models for me along the way.
I see myself in each of them - Judy taught me Suzuki piano and, though my meager musical gifts have since faded, I have her to thank for my quick ear. Helen lived with my mom in college and sent me on study abroad programs while I, too, was at St. Olaf. "Aunties" remember my adoration for public nudity as a child and have nurtured all things wild about me since then.
Other women are more recent additions to this kingdom of support, walking before me into motherhood with grace and humor. Their daughters toddled around with packaging ribbons and glee, creating gratitude for the women I call my sisters in this "family". And without much effort, my dear girlfriends and I are building a web like this one to catch and carry our "daughters" to come.
With each gift I opened, the giver offered a word of advice for our marriage. Those were recorded and will be kept as precious offerings from the wild and wise in my life.
It is good to have family, but it is also beautiful to build one from the people who hold and cherish you as their own. Thank God for April showers.
Even more than the lovely gifts and the delicious food, I was grateful for so many wild, wise and wonderful women together in one room. They hooted and hollered, told stories and made connections, hugged and recalled where and when they first met me. As they introduced themselves to the group, I realized that I am related to them indirectly or not at all, though I call most of them my aunts. My mother's distant cousins are not so distant and her friendships have birthed mentors and role models for me along the way.
I see myself in each of them - Judy taught me Suzuki piano and, though my meager musical gifts have since faded, I have her to thank for my quick ear. Helen lived with my mom in college and sent me on study abroad programs while I, too, was at St. Olaf. "Aunties" remember my adoration for public nudity as a child and have nurtured all things wild about me since then.
Other women are more recent additions to this kingdom of support, walking before me into motherhood with grace and humor. Their daughters toddled around with packaging ribbons and glee, creating gratitude for the women I call my sisters in this "family". And without much effort, my dear girlfriends and I are building a web like this one to catch and carry our "daughters" to come.
With each gift I opened, the giver offered a word of advice for our marriage. Those were recorded and will be kept as precious offerings from the wild and wise in my life.
It is good to have family, but it is also beautiful to build one from the people who hold and cherish you as their own. Thank God for April showers.
posted by Anonymous at 2:56 PM
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