"All a Part of Me"

I know who I am:

I am Lola Fern's granddaughter ...

I have eyes shaped like my father's ...

and, to borrow a song lyric, 

"my mama's still my biggest fan."

Though I didn't know that part about my mother in her lifetime, I'm pretty sure of it now. Well, maybe she's not my biggest fan, but she's up there somewhere close to the top of the list. Otherwise, why would I sense her spirit--her happy spirit--around me so often now, more than thirteen years after her death? It's as if she knows how much I missed her support when I needed it most and is doing her best to make up for it. Doing a good job of it, too.

I feel very lucky to live near my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but I often miss the members of my family who live so far away. When I hear from them, it's as if a missing piece of me has been plugged back into place. Within a 24-hour-period that began this past Thursday night, I was blessed with phone calls from my half-brother in California, my stepmother in another part of California, an aunt in Missouri, and my stepsister in Texas. It was as if electrical current flowed through all those wireless phone connections, twisting our loose ends together, soldering them in place, leaving me recharged with the essence and energy of each of those people who mean so much to me. 

I didn't always know who I was, but I do know now, and I know that the people who have touched my life in meaningful ways have made me better than I could have possibly been without them. Not that I'm anywhere near as good as I could be. I also know that we never stop learning and growing, that nothing nurtures personal growth more than the loving support of family and friends, and that we may not even realize how much we need that kind of nurturing until we get it.

I got plenty of it this week, and it sure feels good.

This week's Saturday Song Selection addresses the strength that comes from feeling connected to a group of people who know you, understand you, and love you anyway. God bless every one of 'em.

The song is "Who I Am," performed by Jessica Andrews.
Thanks to mackashina for posting this song and its lyrics on YouTube.