When You See This, Know That I Love You

(c) HEH

Make this home happy, so that you may be fit for homes of your own, if they are offered you, and contented here if they are not. One thing remember, my girls. Mother is always ready to be your confidant, Father to be your friend, and both of us hope and trust that our daughters, whether married or single, will be the pride and comfort of our lives.
— Lousia May Alcott, Little Women

Something that has always been a comfort to me in my life is the very fact expressed so well in this quote from a beloved book. My parents have been, and always have promised to be supports, loving hearts and ears, and guides to myself and all of my siblings for as long as they live. This selfless, life long promise floors me, every time they repeat it. I recall to mind all the times my Dad has looked me in the eyes and said, "I love you, and I want only the very best for you," or when my Mom has listened to me, then hugged me, and said, "I love you, Hannah." These may seem like rote, formulaic words to outsiders, but it's what I know is behind each word that counts.
My parents' actions also speak volumes for their incredible devotion to their family. Mom often only says with her face and eyes what her heart is really saying. She uses her hands to speak when words are useless. Her way of loving us by doing things for us;
every time she places an unexpected gift, or neat, fresh pile of folded laundry on our beds...
every time she fills up the car, and doesn't complain, even though we were supposed to fill it..
every time she read to us as kids, or combed our hair, or brushed our teeth...
every time she makes that quick lunch (because we forgot to) as we race out the door to school..
every time she listens and nods and lets us talk a mile a minute even though she has things to do..
...it's love.
It is one of her many expressions of love! They are too easy to forget the meaning of, and far too often missed, but oh-so-very important, and real.

Dad, he too often says he loves us, it's true. And I love that my parents always tell us they love us. But Daddy, he also has different ways of showing his love his family...
 Whenever Dad wakes up at an ungodly hour, while running on too little sleep from staying up working late the night before, and goes to work: it's for us. It's love. 
Whenever Dad fixes any of the crazy myriad of things that have gone wrong, uncomplaining, it's love.
Whenever ...
he drives us somewhere,
invites us to "be his buddy" while doing errands,
gently reminds us of something (when it's long overdue),
laughs at our silly jokes, or funny antics,
writes out a long, note-filled birthday called just for us,
it's Dad's way of saying, "I love you."

And isn't it good to look back sometimes and take a hard study of exactly what all the loving has been in our lives? I think it is, and I know I haven't done it often enough.

I challenge you to be looking for the ways that those who love you show their love.
Sometimes it's so easy to get used to, and to miss.

-----//-----

So, Mom and Dad, here I am, thanking you for loving me.
Even when I never saw it, didn't notice it or ignored it.
You two are more than 'heroic'. You're exactly what I hope to be like someday: selfless, caring, and faithful til the end of time! I love you, and I am extremely, truthfully grateful for you two, loving me, and loving all of us!
~Hannah