Selectively Juggling

My beautiful family. My super resilient kids and my tenacious husband. I’m proud of my parents too, raising ten children must have (ok still is) a significant challenge. Especially factoring in the death of a small child, and another who became profoundly disabled at age 18 months (after catching the measles from my older siblings) They had a son who grew up to become a mentally unwell herion addict (they loved him unconditionally and never gave up on him) These are just a few examples of the blows they were dealt, but managed to survive. They had no money and no real extended supports to lean on. They were both their families black sheep, the social pariahs, so to speak. My parent’s lives stood completely juxtaposed to the privilege and so-called relative ease of their siblings. Dad’s gone now – but mum still stands strong, resilient, intelligent, adaptive, capable and a real survivor. She’s buried her husband, her parents and three of her beloved children. Yet, she still has this heady mix of childlike naivety and joy, coupled with a deep warrior spirit. She’s always done her best, tried her best given life’s circumstances. I’m not proud of material things or personal accolades – I’m most proud of the people I call family. I’m also extremely proud of my youngest sister. She is a beautiful soul, tenacious, compassionate, loyal and a real fighter. Life has tried hard to throw challenge after challenge at her, but still she picks herself up and dusts herself off. She keeps going. I’m grateful for her presence in my life.