I was blessed to guest post yesterday about my relationship with my hubby over at A Girl Named Michael’s, as well as HERE on this site. The visitors and comments were definitely a treat! But there was one comment late in the day that took my breath away as if I had lost my balance. This comment captured my thoughts for hours. It was written anonymously and it read:
As a child growing up in a house that was not much of a home, where there was more shouting than loving.. I have to say I thought the fairy tales were great for those that got them. But only true in storybooks. I thought the real world was the world I lived in. And I continued to think that until I was a teen and got to see some of my friends real lives and to my eyes, they had fairy tale lives! I wanted that; I wanted BETTER for my kids than what I had known. And I have that.”
My heart cried, because I had a fairytale home to be brought up in (my friends said we were the Cleaver’s) and I’ve realized since that not all grew up as the Cleaver’s.
My heart mellowed, because although I give hubby a hard time about the “romantic thing” we have a deep love for each other.
My heart sang though, as I realized that Anonymous has true love.
That kind of love is a practice. It can’t be build on once a year kindness. It has to be built out of an everyday will to love and serve those around you. It’s built on realizing that the past you had is not what you want your future to look like for you or your family. It’s a love that says, “I know there is a better way and I’m determined to find a way to make it happen.” It’s a love that when it fails or falls down, it gets back up determined to be a difference in those lives around you. It’s a love that takes practice, knowing a well-worth-the-wait change is coming.
I’m tired of a world that cheapens true love.
True love goes the distance — til death do us part.
True love practices serving those around us and loving them everyday.
Thank you, Anonymous, for the reminder of what true love is!
How would you describe true love? What encouraging words would you leave for Anonymous?
I’m over at A Holy Experience today linking up about love.
True love goes the distance — til death do us part.
True love practices serving those around us and loving them everyday.
Have you heard of the movie, The Vow? It’s based on a true story. After the real couple read their book and saw their movie and basked in all the buzz, Kim, the wife, said, “It is amazing we live in a world that there is such a big deal made about a man and woman who simply did what we said we were going to do.”
WOW – that sounds like a great movie. I’ve heard others talk about it, but haven’t seen it. Putting it on my list now. Love the quote! Blessings.
True love is looking beyond the differences. True love is bringing out the best in each other….
YES YES to bringing out the best in others! That should be our love shown to others.
Dear Anonymous, I know exactly what you mean. I too grew up in a house of manipulation and verbal abuse. I too, now have a fairy tale; a marriage that is not without trouble, but has a deep love and commitment that will go the distance. One of the biggest remindera that my fairy tale is true, and that I do have a prince by my side is the ability he has to walk me through some of the deep rooted insecurities that seem to creap up recently! he loves me for who I am, where I came from, and where I am going… What blessed women we are that God chose such wonderful men for us to live out our fairytales with.
Audra – enough said — you say it perfectly! So thankful for the life you now have. Blessings friend.
Growing up, it amazes me how just visiting some friends homes imprinted on my heart the kind of family I wanted to have.I think God is that amazing. Maybe just one word, maybe just a visit, no preaching, no scripture – but God plants a mustard seed of something that grows into a fairy tale! One of my sons in his rebelliousness said, “You don’t know what real life is like.” I remember thinking, “You have no clue how truly blessed you are to be living so many people’s dreams” – what a blessing comment Alene!