Happy Anniversary to the Greatest Parents I Am Blessed to Have and Know

Yesterday, my parents celebrated their anniversary. My dad was on the Church History Tour; he takes high school graduates to different historical sites of the LDS church. My mom was with my sister. Though they were apart, which is not different than most years, they acknowledged their union and their love. They renewed their vows, in a sense, by celebrating all the years together.

As they celebrated their love together, I also got to celebrate the initial start to their journey and the eventual beginning of my own life and path. Without their union, I would not be here as I am and I would not have walked the path I am on. Though, in the past, it may have appeared that I was cursing the life I have lived, and I may have been at the time. However, as I look at who I am and where I am, I have come to realize that I have been blessed to be a part of an exquisite family. A family who loves me and blesses me with that love every moment of every day.

The anniversary of my parents' wedding reminds me of the many, many generations that it took to create two  of the most wonderful people I have been blessed to know. I am graced by the many unions in the past who have brought the formation of my body and the blood that flows in my veins. My soul has found its home in flesh and blood because generations on generations fell in love and created the two people who fell in love, created their family, and I am blessed to call them Mom and Dad.

I cannot find words sufficient enough to thank the two people whom I love and care for deeply. Thank you just doesn't seem like enough. Thank you will have to be sufficient for now until I discover the actual way to best show my indebtedness and my gratitude.

Body, bones, and blood are not the only gifts given to me from my parents union; they are simply the physical gifts and, though sometimes I complain and joke about being the garbage dump for all the bad genes, I truly am the person I am because of them. Their examples of loving devotion show me the kind of relationship I deserve to have and be in. I see how they treat each other, with respect and adoration, and I know that that is what I want and how I want my relationships to be.

The combination of their personalities has created me. They have a joy of life and an ability to see the humor in things that makes me see life differently. Their love of life has allowed me to see life from their perspective when life seemed bleak, unimaginably uncertain, and painful.

I am a blessed man because two people fell head over heals in love. I am blessed to have lived thirty-two years with the most amazing parents someone could be lucky enough to have. I don't know how to thank them for all they've done or for all they are. Together they are complete. And I love them more and more everyday for the love they share.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. You truly are the greatest parents a kid could ask for. I hope for many, many more years of celebrating your lives together. I love you and could not ask for more than you have already given me.

Good Parenting: Experiencing Unconditional Love

A good parent can go a long way. A great, loving parent can carry a child on a journey through the brambles of life when that child's legs won't carry them much further. Now, add another loving parent to that child's life and the load that child carries will be lessened that much more.

I have been one of the lucky ones to have two loving parents to have on my side and by my side during this perilous journey of life. At times, during those moments of growth when I felt so alone, I forgot that they were on my side and by my side. Sometimes, I think I took that fact for granted too often. And I fear, sometimes I cursed them for how protective they were of me. I didn't realize, during those times, that they were doing their best to shield me from the darkness they had seen in this world.

Today, I feel extremely grateful to my parents, who not only have my physical well-being in mind as they protect and have protected me, but they also have my spiritual well-being in mind. I don't know how often, as I've called home to talk, they have said, "We always have you in our prayers," or "we put your name in at the temple." If all else fails in this world, I know that I have two loving people who watch out for me and pray for me. I fear the day when their physical bodies are absent in my life. However, believing in something more than this life allows me to know that they will still be there in spirit and in my heart always.

It is thinking of my parents love for me that I wish with all my heart that every child could be this lucky. I wish everyone could experience the love of a parent. I wish children could experience the unconditional love a parent gives even when they disagree with where your life is headed. I know that not all people will agree with me, but in my wishing, I have a hope that people can see past sexual orientation when the well-being of a child is concerned and know that love is love. That child will be cared for. Whether by a mother and a father, two mothers, two fathers, a single mother, or a single father, that child will get to experience unconditional love. And that is a beautiful gift.

In one of the cover pages of Gordon Merrick's novel The Lord Won't Mind, it says, "I say, if it's love the Lord won't mind. There's enough hate in the world." And how can I disagree with this. There is so much hate in the world. I can't allow other's to suffer if they could have the chance to love and be loved, even if that structure of love goes against what society says is a "normal family." Because really, what is a "normal family?" Can anyone really say they have normal parents or a normal family?