promises

Today, at the wedding of a dear friend, I listened to them speak their beautiful words of love and commitment to each other. Of course, I reminisced on our own vows, Nate’s and mine. 

But Nate was standing in the back with our noisy baby boy, and I stood up front with two girls leaning into me, listening, watching. And I have to say, I thought even more about my promises to them. Because unlike most parents and their children, these two are mine by a promise and not by default and blood. 

I promised to love them as my own daughters, to grow them into healthy and strong women, to put their needs first, to apologize when I make mistakes, and to do my best to do what’s best for them. 

And that is our life now, my every day. 

What a powerful thing a promise is, or should be. I was grateful today to be reminded of the beauty of it.