First, before I say anything else, I want to say that I love my family to pieces. I will always do what I can for them and want them to know that they are always in my heart. I would never replace even one of them for anyone. No one can substitute them and without them, I would not be who I am.
Therefore, as I go on, I will say that I am one who has been very blessed to be able to grow my family. While, yes, there are new generations who I love dearly, I am talking about family that is not blood related.
Over the last year and half, I have been able to form a bond with people who I consider family as much as anyone else. I have new brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and one I am starting to see as a daughter. As I look back, I can say that I do not know how I would have gotten to the point in life that I am without a single one of them. Each has helped me to realize that life is not this horrible, lonely existence.
Before I met some of my family extension, I felt different, alone, scared, depressed, and sad. I always had happiness, but it did not feel complete. As I came to more to know the social media world, I have found so many people to be inspirations, mentors, and beautiful lights in my everyday life. As a side note, I will say if used right, the internet and social media worlds can help to bring hope and peace to so many. It can help to bring people together who would otherwise not have ever been able to connect. Because of the connections I have made, I have realized within myself that I did not allow myself to have complete happiness. Through these connections, I have been able to let down walls that I built up from past hurts.
So I will write about how it all started for me. I have always been one to support peace, love, equality, and kindness. This extends to the artists that I listen to and support. If you know me well, you will know that music is something that is very important to me. I decided to join a social media site to follow the artist who I felt the glow of peace through his music, words, caring and support of others. Occasionally, I would post quotes about different aspects of life and how if we come together we can make the world a better place. However, I often found that I felt no one was caring. I decided to stop and simply login for updates on artists that I followed. After awhile, I began to try again wanting to bring a little more peace to the world by posting some of my thoughts on our world issues and by posting quotes to inspire and make people think.
One day, I finally thought I had enough and wanted to quit the site, but in boredom clicked on one of the links. This was the best link that I had ever hit. It was something that brought me peace in the form of laughter. A link would eventually lead me to someone who I now consider my sister. I hope she knows what a blessing she has been to me over the last year and a half. I do not need to mention this because she knows who she is.
From this point on, I have been so lucky to encounter so many others who have become my family. I have a sister who is there, supporting and encouraging me at each turn. I have an uncle to who I can look up. I have a strong brother who is like a rock in this world. I have another sister who is such a sweetheart. I have yet another sister who has helped me to find my inner strength and learn to love myself as I am. I now have a person who is a beautiful light in the form of a daughter. I have so many more that I could call cousins. I now have someone who I love so dearly that I want to spend the rest of my life and beyond with. I am so blessed that each of these people care about each other, our world, and what is happening to it.
Some of them have been blessings in the form of tough love, others by supporting, and yet others by making me laugh. All have brought so much love and joy into my life. I hope I have been even a tenth to each of them what they have given me in life.
With this, I will say that you never have to meet a person face to face to become close to another. You never have to meet face to face to love others. I love each of these people as much as I do those who with who I grew up. I have been so lucky to meet a few of them and hope someday to get to meet the rest. Until then I want them all to know that that they each have a special place in my heart and in my life. To each of them, I want to say thank you for shining their beautiful light on my life. To each of them I proudly and unashamedly say I love you.
It does not matter what color of skin you have, what culture you are, or gender. All that matters is the love we share in this world. Whether a person likes it or not, we are one big family. What actions we take affect all. As one big family, we should always respect, support, and show kindness to one another and all living creatures.
With that said, I will sign off by saying to anyone who reads this: I love each one of you to peaces. You are a brother or sister by simply existing. You are all beautiful. Thank you so much for being who you are, being inspirations, and light givers. May you each have joy in your every day, light shining on your paths, and love in each of your hearts. Much love, one love always.
Chieko D. Ross
By Chieko Ross written on 1/10/2011 ©
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