Wednesday, March 12, 2008

How Do I Love Thee?

I'd like to begin with a historical note. On this day in 1912, the Girl Scouts of the United States were founded by by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Georgia. The Girl Scouts were chartered by an Act of Congress on March 16, 1950. Those who know me will understand why this event is important to me.

So the rabbit hole of the Internet has led me many places and recently one of those places has been David McMahon's authorblog. He periodically throws out a question on the weekends for his blog readers to answer on their own blogs. I answered one of his earlier ones, "Do You Get Enough Leisure Time?" in February. The most recent question is "Do You Say "I Love You" Enough?"

There was a time when the answer to that question for me would have been unequivocally NO. I wasn't in love and really never understood what love was. It took Mrs. Brave Astronaut to teach me about love and now I get it. Of course it means that I love her so much that it hurts. And I surely don't tell her that enough. So Mrs. Brave Astronaut, I Love You.

I was not a big "I love you" exchanger in my own family. It took my mother's illness to get my siblings and I to start telling each other. I struggled with saying it to my father (and still do), but was able to tell my mother at the end of her life. I believe that love of one's family is different than "matrimonial" love, for you don't get to pick your family. So you sort of have to love what you got. So even for all their faults, I love them.

The birth of my two children helped me further to express love with the simple "I love you" statement. My son exclaims it as he goes to bed each evening and many other occasions when sitting next to Mrs. BA and me. Saying "I love you" back to him is something that is done without question or reservation, for there is nothing like the love a parent has for a child.

So, to answer the question, yes, I think I do say "I love you" enough. But I am sure I could say it even more.

7 comments:

david mcmahon said...

Dear Mrs Brave Astronaut,

Cherish this man as much as he cherishes you. A man who has a) learnt to say `I love you' and b) freely admits it as a man of great value.

And to the BA munchkins, cherish your parents forever, as I'm sure you will.

lime said...

It's good to see you were able to learn. well done.

thanks also for the visit by my place. you are more than welcome to post the 'tandy take cake' recipe if you like. i just wish i could tell you where i originally got it since it is not one i developed on my own. enjoy!

Lana Gramlich said...

Sometimes you do get to pick your family, actually. I consider my family all those people who helped me along the way w/o giving up on me (among others.) So for that I must say, I love you, brother! (In the familial way, of course. :)

david mcmahon said...

Chuckled at your comment on my rainbow photos. Yep, our rainbows are upside-down, but when someone from the Northern Hemisphere views them, they display the right way round!!!

Having fed you that red herring, it is true that water goes down a sink the other way in the southern hemisphere.

Cath said...

Hi -
I bounced over from David's after doing his Weekend Wandering thing. What a lovely post! Great humility. I agree with the other comments from David - you need to be cherished for your learning AND that you put it in practice. Thanks for sharing this. I hope Mrs. BA reads it too.

I loved your comment on the rainbow. I think David's picture should be upside down too. And the water in the plug hole? I'm told it's true - something to do with magnetic North and South.I always wanted to see that. :0)
Nice to 'meet' you (via David's!)

Living Dees Life said...

That is sweet. You had me teary eyed in the end!

Brave Astronaut said...

David - I enjoy your blog very much. I have to admit that many times when sitting down to write a new post, I will think to myself, "Do you think David will like this enough to make it a 'Post of the Day'?"

My parents have been to New Zealand and Australia. It is a location that is certainly on my list of places to visit. I was reminded the other day that you are truly on the other side of the world, when reading another blog from there with a picture of the leaves turning the colors of fall, while we watch things beginning to bloom here.

Lime, CrazyCath, and Blaez - welcome to my "orbit." I hope you find some stuff you like here and drop in anytime.

And Lana - I hope you know I feel the same.