I suppose I am not so unique. I am not so interesting or out of the ordinary. But what surprises me the most is the unique-ness of those who think of their lives as nothing but ordinary. The ability that one person has to influence and entire generation, the ability that one life has to effect the lives of at least three others in my case. What happened to my family, nothing weird in this age of life, a divorce, has forever altered the path and lives of my mother, me and my brother. And because of that, decided the future of my husband my children and their children.

If not for the tearing of my family, my life would reflect an entirely different lifestyle. I can't say that I am grateful for all that befell us, but I am gratefull for a God that makes all things new.

It makes me begin to wonder, though, about all the children, parents, wives and husbands, who experience the rejection, fear, pain, misunderstanding and confusion of what happens when someone leaves. Death, sickness, age, choice. I feel like everywhere I turn I am met by one of these circumstances that have made a perfect childhood a mess. We are all suffering from some form of these in our family, and the effects that they have brought upon our loved ones. So, do we run, do we wear them as a badge? Or do we simply offer them up as life circumstance?

I propose none of the above. It is amazing to me, so fascinating and an infatuation of my heart and mind to know and love the stories of those around me. And so I propose this. That we love the hurt. That we cherish it as a part of the fall and that we see it as a part of something God will someday restore and make new. That each brokeness is one more chance to love more than we thought our hearts could handle. To know each other in this life deeper than we expected. To rid ourselves of one more pride than we wanted to let go of. Fear has no place here, in these unexpected moments of love and vulnerability.

And it is here that I remember why I am so deeply in love with God's creation, and his plan.