And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:14
This week’s photo challenge asks us to share a picture that portrays the word, “Family”. Of course, as a mother of nine, I have thousands of pictures I can choose from. But I have decided to look for something different.
The story behind this picture will be forever part of our family’s history. I grew up in a large family. I have seven brothers and sisters. Though not always tension-free, we have remained close over the years. Two years ago, my dad was diagnosed with cancer and within a few short months, he was gone. Those months during my dad’s illness, leading up to his death, the wake, and the funeral contained sacred moments of sacrifice, grace, love, peace, and unity. The word “family” took on a whole new meaning for us as we shared the burden privilege of caring for my dad during his last few months on this earth…the daily phone calls/emails/texts updating each other every day. We shared this task together. Eight strong personalities put aside their personal preferences, offered their gifts and strengths while focusing on the one task together – caring for our dad and also our mom, in peace, in unity, in love. Sacred moments.
When it was time to order flowers for my dad’s casket, one of my sisters decided that she could design one on her own and with the help of my brother, his wife, and my daughter, they produced a casket spray that was more beautiful than the ones we saw in a catalog. That beautiful spray is a symbol of the beautiful gift we have in each other. All our differences, our gifts, our dreams, put together make something even more beautiful than those flowers. That beautiful something is the strong ties of love which we call family.
January 20, 2014 at 3:05 am
so wonderful! awesome family.
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January 20, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Thank you!
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January 20, 2014 at 5:51 am
We are all so busy with our life, that doing something for the family, putting the busy schedules aside to care for a loved one, doing something as a team:family, is becoming rarer and rarer. Your parents are blessed to have children like you and your siblings. The untimely death of your father is sad, but that the entire family was there to support each other in these difficult times is inspiring. Thanks for sharing your story.
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January 20, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Thank you so much Krithya! Thank you for your kind comments.
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January 22, 2014 at 1:58 am
I’m sorry for your loss : ( Your family is beautiful and those types of bonds are priceless – you are so blessed!
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January 23, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Thank you Connie. We are definitely blessed.
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February 22, 2014 at 3:16 am
it’s nice that your family was able to come together on your loss, so many (including mine) came apart instead. I hope you can continue to gather love and strength from all of your family.
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