Today would have been my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary; they were married on May 15th, 1965. My relationship with them remains complicated, even though my mom has been gone 26 years and my dad for more than a decade. Nevertheless, I’m thankful they found each other and brought me into the world.
While they never taught me these lessons directly, there are a few things I have learned from my relationship with them (mostly due to good therapy and some challenging self-work):
- Most people are doing the best they can with what they have.
- Trauma is often blindly passed from one generation to the next.
- Love—even in its most imperfect forms—should be honored and appreciated.
m - Offering forgiveness can be a healing experience for the giver, even if the other person isn’t here to receive it.
Happy Heavenly Anniversary to Roland and Paula Steckel.
Breaking Into Peace 