Six months ago today my whole world changed. I met the most amazingly talented, sweet, and funny person. He swept me off my feet with his charm, and his wit. Six months ago today marked the start of the best six months of my life. Jon's incredible strength, his uniqueness, and honesty have brought so much to my life. He challenges me to be the best person I can be...He doesn't let me settle for less or get away with my (sometimes) immature antics. :) Six months may seem so short to some. But the intensity of our relationship and the strength we've developed together, in my opinion, puts us light years ahead of some couples who have been together for years. Trust me, if I were sitting here reading someone else's blog about her boyfriend of six months I'd probably roll my eyes. But maybe the saying is true -- when you know, you just know.
We've developed our own world together, often understanding each other without saying a word. And as I watch him develop his own life and accomplishments, I could not be more proud. The challenge he is facing and that we, in turn, are facing together have done nothing but show our true courage. On second thought, it is his incredible courage that allows me to be stronger. Maybe it helps us realize more than others just how important we are to one another... How valuable life is...How amazing it can be.
So I will always cherish the last 6 months...Our first 6 months of many... For it was the time I learned more about myself than I have in a long time. It was the time I learned to love another more than I thought possible. It was the time I have smiled more than I ever knew I could. It was the time I first started to be a part of his world; a time when I found my inner strength... And as cliche as it sounds, my other half.
"You are the best thing that's ever been mine."
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Guardian Angels
I have always been an animal lover. I think that many animals have a sixth sense about them. When I was 7 years old, my parents bought a Jack Russel Terrier puppy. To this day, I remember hearing his tiny paws coming down our old apartment hallway and being so surprised. He looked like a pig in a way, with his pot belly and short little legs. He had black and white spots, and on his head was a white spot shaped like a diamond. Thus, to a 7-year-old little girl, his name was born. Being an only child, having Diamond was a blessing. He was my best friend, my protector, my playmate. His spirit never failed to make me smile. As I hit the challenging teen years he seemed to be the only 'person' who understood me at times. He was (and still is) my family in every sense of the word. When I was upset, he never left my side, and often tried to lick the tears off of my face. Leaving him at my parents' house was probably the hardest part of moving into my own apartment. Now, as his 17th birthday approaches (crazy, I know), I am aware that our memories together are probably limited. He has aged the most over the past year or so... he has trouble seeing, his back legs are weak, and his hearing is lacking. He has to be carried up the stairs and can no longer jump on and off the bed. People often ask why we haven't put him to sleep. For the record, I would never in a million years want to be selfish and keep him around suffering simply because letting him go would be too hard. Sincerely at this point, he still gets excited to go for a walk. He still snuggles next to me. He still knows when it's time to eat and will still bark for table food. He's still Diamond...just an older version. My hope is that when the time comes he will fall asleep wrapped up warm in his favorite blanket, curled up next to my parents and drift away. 17 years is a long time to know someone, whether person or animal. And I will surely not be the same without him. But how blessed I am to have had a guardian angel with me for 17 years.
My boyfriend's dog, Josie, seems to have smiliar qualities. When Jon is not feeling well, she will lay beside him with her head resting on his leg and not move for hours. When I was upset, she followed me up the stairs and licked the tears off my face...I felt like she was telling me, "Don't cry, everything is going to be alright." And surely she must know. <3
I don't usually mesh well with people who aren't animal lovers...it just doesn't really make sense to me why someone wouldn't like animals. Perhaps they aren't ready to be loved that way. Animals love us unconditionlly... without question, without expectation, regardless of what we look like, what we've done, where we've been. It is perhaps the purest form of love that exists.
My boyfriend's dog, Josie, seems to have smiliar qualities. When Jon is not feeling well, she will lay beside him with her head resting on his leg and not move for hours. When I was upset, she followed me up the stairs and licked the tears off my face...I felt like she was telling me, "Don't cry, everything is going to be alright." And surely she must know. <3
I don't usually mesh well with people who aren't animal lovers...it just doesn't really make sense to me why someone wouldn't like animals. Perhaps they aren't ready to be loved that way. Animals love us unconditionlly... without question, without expectation, regardless of what we look like, what we've done, where we've been. It is perhaps the purest form of love that exists.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Only Human
I usually blog about my emotions and my life pretty easily. Words seem to flow... Today I don't have any words. The emotions are there, the feelings are there, but I can't seem to verbalize.
I like stories. When I first became a nurse I would get so wrapped up in people's stories -- whether happy or tragic. I could empathize so well with a lot of my patients and their families. As time went on, I learned to still be involved but maintain just enough distance so I wasn't an emotional wreck 24-7.
When I started dating my boyfriend, I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew how hard it might be at times. I convinced my family and friends who were worried about me and my sanity that I was strong..that it wasn't that big of a deal. I could handle it. He was doing great, right? It was just another obstacle. I kept my feelings to myself. I smiled and told everyone things were great. And they were; they are. But I never told people how stressful/scary/frustrating/emotional it was for me. I never thought I'd be in the story... a part of someone's story, with no chance for maintaining distance or putting up walls.
When you love someone, it's impossible to stay away. It's impossible not to feel it in your own heart. I felt like (and still feel) I had no right to complain or feel sad because I chose to be in this story. But emotions usually win over being logical. Sometimes the tears come though I don't want them to, often without warning and without real reason. And sometimes for a few seconds I'm angry as opposed to the blessed feeling I usually have. Sometimes I'm scared though I know rationally there's no real reason to be. Sometimes it's hard to smile and be supportive when all I want to do is fix it. Sometimes everything is NOT ok. It's a very solitary feeling... I guess no one can really understand unless they're living it. I don't expect many of my friends to understand, and most avoid the topic all together. I can't really blame them since I put on the act that it's "no big deal". Ironically, I yell at my boyfriend for doing the very same thing. I tell him to express his feelings... to let himself be angry/sad/frustrated and not play off the situation like it's easier than it is. I tell him that constantly, and yet here I am, so afraid to do the same.
Now don't get me wrong, I am lucky in so many ways. Although a rough road, it could be a million times worse. There is no chance for me to lose him to this battle and for that I am more grateful than I could express in words. But despite the blessings, maybe it's ok for me to still be angry sometimes. We are amazing together..but sometimes I find myself looking with envy at couples who seem to have no obstacles to overcome.
Perhaps I put too much pressure on myself. I want to make things better for him. I want to be there for him. I want to understand when he's snappy with me. And I think i do a pretty good job, but in the end I think I need to let myself be human.
One thing needs to be made clear: there is NO doubt in my mind that this is where I want to be. I have a love that I believe most people never get to experience. I also think that this journey will make us stronger in the end. When you love someone, truly love someone, when you're a part of someone, you take on their troubles, their pain, their tears...and that is a feeling that cannot be described in words. To watch someone you love go through something difficult, to watch them hurt, and not be able to do anything about it, is the most helpless feeling in the world. And to know that his biggest wish is most likely to erase all of this journey hurts... he is my dream come true yet if his wish were granted, our relationship most likely would have never come to be. And on a deeper level, it hurts even more to know that if I could grant him that wish I would. If I could change things for him and give him his life back the way it 'should have' been, I would.
I wish I was stronger. I wish I could do a better job of keeping my feelings to myself because the last thing I ever want to do is make him feel worse... or give him the idea that I in any way resent being there for him.. because that is absolutely not the case. But as much as I am a part of him and what he's facing, he in turn, is a part of me... so despite the fact that I am not the one physically going through it, it's a different kind of hurt, but it still hurts. Knowing him so well, I know that reading this will probably hurt him...it will hurt him because he will somehow feel responsible for causing me pain. But the truth is, we're in it together. The smiles outweigh the tears; the calm overrules the anxiety; the love between us makes my heart complete. I will continue to find strength in myself that I did not know existed... and I will keep trying to give him the strength he needs.
Love conquers all. <3
I like stories. When I first became a nurse I would get so wrapped up in people's stories -- whether happy or tragic. I could empathize so well with a lot of my patients and their families. As time went on, I learned to still be involved but maintain just enough distance so I wasn't an emotional wreck 24-7.
When I started dating my boyfriend, I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew how hard it might be at times. I convinced my family and friends who were worried about me and my sanity that I was strong..that it wasn't that big of a deal. I could handle it. He was doing great, right? It was just another obstacle. I kept my feelings to myself. I smiled and told everyone things were great. And they were; they are. But I never told people how stressful/scary/frustrating/emotional it was for me. I never thought I'd be in the story... a part of someone's story, with no chance for maintaining distance or putting up walls.
When you love someone, it's impossible to stay away. It's impossible not to feel it in your own heart. I felt like (and still feel) I had no right to complain or feel sad because I chose to be in this story. But emotions usually win over being logical. Sometimes the tears come though I don't want them to, often without warning and without real reason. And sometimes for a few seconds I'm angry as opposed to the blessed feeling I usually have. Sometimes I'm scared though I know rationally there's no real reason to be. Sometimes it's hard to smile and be supportive when all I want to do is fix it. Sometimes everything is NOT ok. It's a very solitary feeling... I guess no one can really understand unless they're living it. I don't expect many of my friends to understand, and most avoid the topic all together. I can't really blame them since I put on the act that it's "no big deal". Ironically, I yell at my boyfriend for doing the very same thing. I tell him to express his feelings... to let himself be angry/sad/frustrated and not play off the situation like it's easier than it is. I tell him that constantly, and yet here I am, so afraid to do the same.
Now don't get me wrong, I am lucky in so many ways. Although a rough road, it could be a million times worse. There is no chance for me to lose him to this battle and for that I am more grateful than I could express in words. But despite the blessings, maybe it's ok for me to still be angry sometimes. We are amazing together..but sometimes I find myself looking with envy at couples who seem to have no obstacles to overcome.
Perhaps I put too much pressure on myself. I want to make things better for him. I want to be there for him. I want to understand when he's snappy with me. And I think i do a pretty good job, but in the end I think I need to let myself be human.
One thing needs to be made clear: there is NO doubt in my mind that this is where I want to be. I have a love that I believe most people never get to experience. I also think that this journey will make us stronger in the end. When you love someone, truly love someone, when you're a part of someone, you take on their troubles, their pain, their tears...and that is a feeling that cannot be described in words. To watch someone you love go through something difficult, to watch them hurt, and not be able to do anything about it, is the most helpless feeling in the world. And to know that his biggest wish is most likely to erase all of this journey hurts... he is my dream come true yet if his wish were granted, our relationship most likely would have never come to be. And on a deeper level, it hurts even more to know that if I could grant him that wish I would. If I could change things for him and give him his life back the way it 'should have' been, I would.
I wish I was stronger. I wish I could do a better job of keeping my feelings to myself because the last thing I ever want to do is make him feel worse... or give him the idea that I in any way resent being there for him.. because that is absolutely not the case. But as much as I am a part of him and what he's facing, he in turn, is a part of me... so despite the fact that I am not the one physically going through it, it's a different kind of hurt, but it still hurts. Knowing him so well, I know that reading this will probably hurt him...it will hurt him because he will somehow feel responsible for causing me pain. But the truth is, we're in it together. The smiles outweigh the tears; the calm overrules the anxiety; the love between us makes my heart complete. I will continue to find strength in myself that I did not know existed... and I will keep trying to give him the strength he needs.
Love conquers all. <3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
