The Real Value of Love

My girls love to play those sort of "Q&A" games, where we ask each other questions and wait patiently for our answer. "What's your favorite Ice Cream? What do you want to be when you grow up? What's the one favorite 'thing' of yours you would grab if we had a fire in the house? What makes you really really happy? Which One Direction guy is your favorite?" sort of questions.

I love when we play those games, too. It is a great way to really learn about my girls. I like to think I know everything about them . . . but when we start playing our Q&A game, I realize just how much I don't know. It makes me happy to learn their likes and dislikes, their thoughts and ideas.  

I like when the questions really get me thinking for my own answers. Things I don't often stop long enough to think about have to be answered when there are little ears waiting for a reply. For example . . . our favorite possessions. I know that Katie's baby doll and Ella's teddy bear are their absolute favorite possessions. I know that if anything happens in our life, those two little objects have to be right there with them. 

And my favorite possession . . . has to be . . . my peace ring. 

In 2008, I started my very first "Word of the Year" process, and that year my word was PEACE. It was something I desperately needed in my life at that time (heck, we need it all the time, don't we?) and it was something I really searched for. 

Ella was about 6 months old when I took on this task, which means Katie would have just turned 4. 

I remember the day we were walking through our nearby JCPenney store, when I saw this Peace ring. Katie, in her little 4 year old mind, didn't know what "peace" really meant yet, but she knew that this was the symbol for it, and I was looking at. I had to try it on - it fit perfectly (almost as if it was made for me). It isn't a very expensive ring (I am certain it was under $20 dollars), but knowing that it was a want and not a need, I put it back on the rotating display and walked away. 

I can't remember how it went - but I believe Katie pointed it out to Phil and told him that she wanted me to have it. I remember Phil coming up to me and whispering something about Katie wanting me to have the ring, and asking if it was ok for him to buy it for me. And I remember my heart filling up with this amazing sense of joy to have this little girl wanting to give this "peace" to me . . . the very thing I was striving so hard to have in my life. 

Phil bought it, and they kept it for only an hour or two before giving it to me (she was 4 . . . that was about as long as her little heart could handle waiting!) It makes my heart melt just thinking about when they handed it to me. She was so proud of herself . . . that she got me something that she knew I would love so much. And I will never forget the moments that surround it.

It is, by far, my very favorite possession. And I wear it as often as I can. It reminds me of being a young mother of two little girls. It reminds me of a time in my life when I was trying so hard to do things 'right', but when I learned there was no such thing as 'perfect'. A time when I so desperately needed to find a peace in myself and in my life. 

Peace has sort of been a life long mantra of mine. And I really think it started that day back in 2008 . . . with this little $20 ring. 

I'm reminded how much value there is in love. Real value. In my home, love doesn't come with a price tag. It's not shown by the number of toys you give or receive, or the type of clothes that you wear. It's not based on how big the diamond ring is, or how many cars are in the garage. Love is in the feeling of being taken care of. In knowing that you are not alone in this life. That someone is there for you. That someone cares.

The other day I had my peace ring on, and Katie noticed I was wearing it. Now 6 years later, she seemed surprise to find that I still wore it, and even more surprised to find how happy it still makes me.
 

"Mom," she said, "you have your peace ring on." 

"I do, honey," I told her, "I wear it all the time. And I will never ever forget that it was from you, honey." 

She smiled with kindest eyes, and came over to give me the biggest hug imaginable. And I was once again reminded of the many blessings my life has in it. 

That, is the real value of love, my friends. 

It's priceless.

 

Peace. 

 

xo