This is part two of the article I started writing last Friday, telling about what I have learned from the women I know. I will try to keep this section a little briefer than Friday's since I really rambled on a lot on that post. Today, I will talk about my Mom, my sister and finally, my wife. I have learned a lot from my Mom over the years. To start, I am almost certain that she is the person who taught me how to read and write. She has taught me so many important things that I will not mention the obvious ones here. The section would just be too long. Instead, I will mention the not so obvious ones. My Mom taught me to treat people how I myself would want to be treated. Although I sometimes forget this one, I honestly try to follow this one every day and in each interaction I have with people. Loyalty, patience and prayer are three other things that rank high on my list of things my Mom has taught me. While life hasn't exactly been easy over the past few years, prayer has helped me to see it through. Although some people, think I am impatient, nothing could be further from the truth. I have the ability to focus both my mind and my efforts and get things done. Now, that doesn't mean that I don't sometimes get impatient about things. Usually, I get impatient with small, stupid things, while for the bigger, more meaningful things I can wait a lifetime. I have known my sister my entire life, and I am still learning things from her! Michelle is a special ed teacher in Middletown New Jersey. I constantly pick her brain about different ways to teach my daughters, and she is constantly giving me great websites to try for both of my daughters. Aside from helping me teach my daughters she has taught me about friendship, and family and how to truly be there for a person. After nearly fifty years, I am proud to say she is my best friend and sister. My sister and I speak nearly every day, a habit that started when my wife was ill and I was raising the girls on my own. Michelle helped me to find a nanny and a food service, all from New Jersey while I was too overwhelmed to look for help in those initial first weeks. Michelle has taught me the true meaning of family, friendship, empathy, and so many other things. I am truly blessed to have a sister like Michelle. Too many times, people do heroic deeds and are not recognized. Often times, it's because the people who are helped just don't know how to put their gratitude into words. I really don't know how to put my gratitude for my sister's deeds (or my Mom's for that matter) into words either. I think it is very important for them to know how much I appreciate their help though, and I hope this post helps to let you know how much gratitude I have for the help the both of you have given me. When I think of all that I have gone through, and how you have stuck there by my side, I truly feel blessed. Thank you! From my wife, I have learned the most lessons of all. I learned to love, and to be loved, passion, understanding and sorrow. Her illness taught me many lessons as well. Sometimes, it is hard to separate my wife from her illness, but it is necessary. My wife was not the sum of the symptoms of her disease. Many people fail to see that. My wife taught me that oftentimes what you see on the surface is exactly what people want you to see. She taught me that people can be alone in a room full of people and that a tear drop can be hidden by the rain. That a smile could be both genuine and deceptive at the same time. My wife had the knack of seeing beauty in everyday things. She has passed that ability on to our children. She taught me to take time to smell the roses, and that memories about small, inconsequential things can be the memories that give you peace and closure later on in life. Finally, my wife taught me that every moment is precious. None of us know how long we have left in this world, or more importantly, how long our loved ones have left. She taught me (the hard way) that nothing positive you have to say to someone should be left unsaid. Believe me, words have power, and the kind words you say to someone now will have more impact than anything you can say while they lie dying in a coma. A feeling can be conveyed in a kind, word, a touch or a look. Make sure to convey your true feelings to the one you love. Tomorrow isn't always another day. And that is one of the hardest lessons to learn.
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