Member-only story
Nonsense Words Splashed Across the Screen
I could hear their voices coming from the living room, and occasionally a few words or lyrics from a character in the movie or an artist singing a song they had playing in the background. Nonsense words were the furthest thing from my mind in those moments.
I’d pause from time to time to determine who was speaking and what the conversation was about. But I continued to work at my computer in the room that was serving as my bedroom and home office while I was visiting in Europe that summer.
It felt good to be a part of their lives in this way: Them, enjoying each other’s company and sharing music, film, food, and conversation. Me, knowing that they are safe and happy and experiencing life in a way that will lead to a lifetime of memories.
These are the people who make up the fabric of my life. Without them, my purpose feels smaller, somewhat insignificant, almost without meaning, With them, I show up as a fuller version of myself. They make me better, and in turn, I strive to encourage and guide them to each be a more improved version of themselves than they thought possible. It’s a symbiotic relationship that is mutually beneficial and powerful.
I think of them as my extended family and created by blood, sweat, and tears. None of us are related by blood, but instead by the sweat equity we’ve…