The People We Love

My husband is a twin. Over the holidays we were with family being silly. Here you see the two of them enjoying being together and having fun trying on hats. We know people love us when they allow us to be ourselves, no matter how silly or goofy we may become.

We all have people we know, and a small portion of those are people we also love. They may be family by blood, or by choice. They may be friends who have become family, or they may be neighbors or colleagues who have transformed into loved ones. We can choose our friends and to what degree we care for those friends. We are fortunate beyond measure when family become friends and when friends become family.

We may not always agree with those we love. We cheer for different sports teams, or play different sports, or do not like sports at all.  They practice different politics or spiritual beliefs. We may like art and they love fishing. We can’t wait to eat out, they may be home bodies who prefer to cook at home. We eat meat, they are a vegan. We enjoy summer while they thrive in the snow. They love pets and we can’t stand them. They dress flashy and always have something new to wear, while we prefer to wear the same thing over and over and over again.

It is our differences that make things interesting. It is what we do not have in common the keep things lively. It is the ability to love them in spite of our differences that enriches our lives. We may not agree on everything, yet we know that if they call at 3am and need a tire change, we would get in the car no questions asked. You know someone is a real friend when they call, you answer, and listen to whatever comes across the line. You talk them down from a ledge, they share your tears. It’s a two way street that may not always look or act the same, yet love flows both directions no matter the size, shape or color. It is our ability to love those who are not our identical self that makes us a better person. It is being loved by someone who is not just like you that grows your own capacity to love. It is the people we love that make us better.