Ya Ya Sisterhood

I watched a movie that I've seen a number of times, but ya know sometimes things make more of an impact than others. Maybe sometimes we have to be ready to hear things. The movie was Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood. If you haven't seen the movie, this may not make a lot of sense at first, but hang in here with me just a bit. It's toward the end of the movie and a lot has been revealed and Sandra Bullock asks James Garner, who plays her father, if he has been loved enough.

That really started me thinking. Have I been loved enough? Have my children and grandchildren been loved enough? Have all my friends and family been loved enough? What is enough? How do we know if we're loved? How do I show the love that's in my heart to the people that need to know I love them?

I think it's been difficult for me to physically express my love to my family over the years. I was not raised by a physically demonstrative mother and father. I always felt that my mother and father loved me a great deal. I never doubted that and don't to this day, but how did I receive that from them? It wasn't talked about.... I don't ever remember them telling me they loved me. To my dad, a playful punch on the arm was a hug. But I've always known.

Maybe it's in the pride we have in our families. Maybe it's in the enjoyment we experience when we're together. Maybe it's a smile. Maybe it's that boy-I-miss-you-when-you're-not-around feeling when we're apart from one another and the looking forward to when we'll get to spend time together again.

I hope if I forget to tell my loved ones, if I forget to touch them both physically and emotionally, that they will know how much I care. I will pay more attention to the people in my life that I draw my strength and hope from and let them know how important they are to me. I will strive to step outside of myself and my own problems and focus more on the needs of those around me.

In case I haven't mentioned it lately.... "Have I told you lately that I love you? . . . "