Gratitude Post 7 – Unconditional Love
This is my one of my favorite days of month.
Why you may be asking?
Every 4th Wednesday of the month I have an opportunity to compose a gratitude post.
Today’s post highlights two people that have helped shape my life, empowering me to become better.
It’s my hope that today’s post can also help you in strengthening the relationships in your life.
Foothills of Salt Lake City
Family is one of those things in life that lies out of our control. We’re all born from someone. Born in a specific place filled with cultures, ethnicities, religions and people.
What you do with this means everything.
My upbringing took place at the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. If I could’ve had a choice I may have choose a different location to experience my early years of life, but that was out of my hands.
However, the family I was born into, though unique in their own right was perfect for me.
Being the oldest child from my mother, I had the wonderful privilege to be a big brother to two amazing sisters.
Growing up in Salt Lake our lives were very different from the rest of our community. A few things that made us stand out from our neighbors was that we were raised by our grandparents, our mother was unmarried and a few people who were very close to our hearts battled severely with drug abuse.
But like I mentioned, this is the family I was brought into. With the help of my two little sisters who acted as angels, I quickly learned there was nothing we couldn’t face together.
With one of the greatest qualities discovered being unconditional love.
This gratitude post is dedicated to them.
Appreciating The Little Things
Growing up, my sisters and I had the basic necessities that any child deserves, clothing, food, and a house to live in. But growing up in an upper-class neighborhood of Salt Lake City with my grandparents who supported us with their social security checks, we stood out from the rest.
For starters, the three of us had different fathers, something very uncommon in our community. One of my sisters and I were mixed with African American, and my littlest sister was mixed with Hispanic.
Though our mother loved us very much, the demons she was battling at the time stole her out of our lives for days, sometimes weeks at a time.
But amongst all the seeming odds stacked against us, something greater prevailed.
Unconditional Love.
There was one lesson that I can never forget my mom telling my sisters and I:
“Regardless what happens in life, you guys will always have each other. That’s why it is so important that you don’t fight with each other. Instead learn to love one another so when you get older you will grow tighter and be willing to help each other.”
This love that was taught to us at such an early age was the tool that helped us face many hurdles together as one.
Things like the passing of our grandparents, our mother’s battles, my sister having a daughter at a young age and keeping our eyes focused on brighter future for our lives.
Without these two incredible people in my life I wouldn’t be the person I am today. The appreciation, love and compassion I have for them couldn’t be summed up in a single blog post.
Tears of joy are the best way to express this.
Divine Order
As I grow older, looking back at the various pathways my sisters and I have traveled, I can’t help but smile.
It is incredible how life aligns. There are certain people in each of our lives whether it’s a sibling, a friend, a family member or an acquaintance who enters our life at the right time to help us reach a greater level of living.
The greatest battles we fight in life can be won with the unconditional love and support of the people closest to us. (Three Key Tweet)
I don’t know what your relationship may be with your siblings, or if you even have siblings. But let this post be an opportunity for you to strengthen your connection with them.
Even if you aren’t getting along with each other, take the wisdom passed down from my mom and be the peacemaker.
In the same way my sisters supported me, the eldest, as I went through various battles in life, you too can be the support system to your brothers, sisters and family.
If you don’t have siblings then look across your life at friends who you would consider family. Even though everyone told me that my sisters and I were only half brothers and sisters, I knew deep down that made no difference. Unconditional love reigns supreme.
Here are a few Keys my sisters helped me uncover, finding more inspiration, empowerment and belief within myself.
Insights Inspired by my Sisters
#1 – Love is Powerful – True, unconditional love has the ability to dissolve problems, helping us unite together and face the greatest of life’s struggles. The love of my sisters and family empowered me to be better, to go college, to write books, to live fuller and to pursue the gifts that they’ve seen within me for years.
How can you use the power of love to help someone close to you dissolve their problems?
How could you use the power of love to dissolve your problems?
#2 – Live Bigger – My sisters taught me how to believe in me. I don’t know if you’ve ever had someone look up to you, knowing that you are capable of doing something great. The way people who care about you look at you, can be a preview of where your life is headed. In this way, I found that by embracing the belief they had in me I was able to believe in myself even more.
Who are the people in your life you who have inspired you to live bigger? Reach out to them and say thank you.
#3 – Invisible Connection – The greatest insight my sisters helped me discover is the invisible connection that ties all events, people, and situations together. Specifically, the way that life aligns in such a way that it provides us with the necessary support to help us overcome the greatest battles.
See how much growth and support arises when you are willing to face your battles, struggles and suffering head on.
A collection of photos from our early days to now. One thing has never left, unconditional love and appreciation.
Gratitude
Spend some time this week reaching out to your siblings and let them know you appreciate them. If you are going through a difficult situation with them, then use this as an opportunity for you to be the bigger person and approach them with peace and understanding.
If you don’t have siblings, then let this be an opportunity to reach out to those who have supported, cared and loved you throughout your life thus far.
Take it under your power to be the one who shines the light of kindness and peace into the lives of those who love you unconditionally.
In the same way my sisters and I have grown closer through overcoming the battles of life, draw closer to those who believe, love and support you.
Be grateful today.
Peace
Happiness
Compassion
Respect
Jeffon Seely
Three Key Life
My life wouldn’t be the same without you. You are a huge part of me. I love you so so much and couldn’t be more proud of who you are. Thank you.
Love you as well Alyse. Thanks for helping me become a better version of myself. Thanks for the inspiration, empowerment and being one of my biggest supporters.