I found you & Marc separately and felt immediate love & appreciation for you both independently. Knowing you love & care for each other as family makes me SO HAPPY!
Great job, Rachel! I loved reading your perspective on a family I’ve rooted for over the past eight months or so. Glad to know they’ve got great people like you and Uncle Phil behind them.
This reminds me of when I was a kid and my sibs and I would argue about who had the best godparents. On the other side of that childhood, and reflecting on this, I see now how those godparents were a statement about the value of the friendships my parents had.
What a lovely story on friendship. I have many friends that are like family to me too, and I bridge them by making godmother and godfather of two of them too! And the wisdom that it's the mundane that makes a friendship, especially true for friendships that last so long, you don't remember living without them. :)
This was so special to get all those little glimpses into the both of you and how your lives have intertwined.
My thoughts on friendship is that it’s a living, breathing thing that needs us to adapt with it. As both people change and evolve in different ways, we can either download the new info or say goodbye for now.
A treasured memory from high school really got me thinking. Flipping through memories. I think a lot of mine were from school dances. All my favorite people, in joy, bopping around. Everywhere my eyes land would be on someone I had a story with.
I’m from a very small town in Northern IL. I haven’t been back in —this shocked me when I just counted— 8 years 😬🫨. I may need to change that soon.
Again, so wonderful to read these words and see these images of you both ❤️❤️
I think about who we were when we were younger, and Rachel has been always a wonderful soul. I’m grateful we’ve been with each other through all the storms and the ones to come. Secretly, she’s his Godmother so she can never get rid of me or us. 😂
Thanks for reading and sharing feedback, Kaitlyn. This stood out from your response: “My thoughts on friendship is that it’s a living, breathing thing that needs us to adapt with it.”
I agree. It’s like any other relationship, there needs to be deposits alongside the withdrawals and the ability to repair in order to expect longevity. I’m happy to hear you enjoyed.
Marc - It's wild that you started this piece of sharing your prayer for a sister. It's something I've longed for as well. I'm thankful to have a wife who I can genuinely call beloved but there's always been an appeal.
Rachel - Thank you for a glimpse into ya'lls beautiful relationship and the glimmers of wisdom 🖤😊
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Jamal. This was both the easiest and hardest thing to do lol
Also, I used to want a sister when I was really really young, then it clicked we would have to share things and I became grateful I was the only girl 😂
“What made me smile about your Mom was her all-in-ness when it came to a song she liked. She bounced to songs that had a groove, but when a beat really hit, she did her thing.”
This must have been lovely for you all. I think there is an important subtext here too. Myles will benefit a lot from what you can read between the lines. The importance of the everyday stuff, especially in high school when it's all so intense.
Right! Selecting friends, even at a young age, is really the first time we choose those that will provide (emotional) safety for us. It’s such a big but small act. I wanted to provide some considerations that can continually be returned to. And you’re spot on - this was a very enjoyable collab. Thank you for reading!
I love the last photo of you holding baby Myles for the first time and him reaching out to you as if he knows. I do believe babies know stuff... they have a sense of things. Great piece!
Thanks so much! I really enjoyed choosing that picture. Him holding my face and my husband’s hand 🥹 too much adorableness to leave off the page. I appreciate you reading and sharing your feedback. 🙂
Oh I see that upon closer inspection now. I hadn't realised he was holding on to your face and your husband's hand. That's amazing, love at first sight. I thought he put his arms around you. Love it even more now.
Beautiful...the secret about how the mundane is the foundation of friendship, that's it! Reading it here I felt like I heard it for the first time. And that pic of Myles meeting his Uncle kills me. So great.
Thank you for latching on to that 😊. I wanted this piece to be three things - a letter, an origin story, and a toolkit. Deciding who to trust, love, and grow with is messy business and I wanted to share something that can at least be groundwork for decision making.
That was beautiful writing start to finish. I loved loved loved the part on how friendships are made up of all these mundane moments.
Thank you, Noha! I count this as my best piece to date since it was the most fun to write. At moments it felt like my hand hovered and my heart wrote.
That's a really great description! I love when it feels like the writing is going that way
It’s certainly a rarity I aim to make more common 🌻 I wish the same for your writing process as well.
It's the alliteration for me!
Rest easy, Myles, Auntie Rae's got you.
A word!
😊 The honor is all mine. Thank you for reading, Darin!
I found you & Marc separately and felt immediate love & appreciation for you both independently. Knowing you love & care for each other as family makes me SO HAPPY!
This made me smile. Thank you, Zoe!
That makes me so happy, Zoe 🥰. Thanks for reading
Same here! Love that they know each other 🌸
Thanks for reading, Temitope. 🌺
Great job, Rachel! I loved reading your perspective on a family I’ve rooted for over the past eight months or so. Glad to know they’ve got great people like you and Uncle Phil behind them.
It’s pretty hard not to be a fan of such a young family truly doing the work. Your readership means a lot ☺️. I’m glad you enjoyed!
This reminds me of when I was a kid and my sibs and I would argue about who had the best godparents. On the other side of that childhood, and reflecting on this, I see now how those godparents were a statement about the value of the friendships my parents had.
I have a godparent who’s in Haiti and another who’ve I’ve never met. Lowkey, wish I had a Godparent like Rachel.
Oh my! I loved EVERY WORD of this letter. What a gift to have this friendship, thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for reading and being here Lindsey!
Awwwwww thanks 😋 I’m so glad you enjoyed Lindsey.
What a lovely story on friendship. I have many friends that are like family to me too, and I bridge them by making godmother and godfather of two of them too! And the wisdom that it's the mundane that makes a friendship, especially true for friendships that last so long, you don't remember living without them. :)
Truly! It’s consistency that makes a friendship. In relationships of all kinds the little things add up to so much. Thanks for reading, Rachel 🌸
🥹🥹
This was so special to get all those little glimpses into the both of you and how your lives have intertwined.
My thoughts on friendship is that it’s a living, breathing thing that needs us to adapt with it. As both people change and evolve in different ways, we can either download the new info or say goodbye for now.
A treasured memory from high school really got me thinking. Flipping through memories. I think a lot of mine were from school dances. All my favorite people, in joy, bopping around. Everywhere my eyes land would be on someone I had a story with.
I’m from a very small town in Northern IL. I haven’t been back in —this shocked me when I just counted— 8 years 😬🫨. I may need to change that soon.
Again, so wonderful to read these words and see these images of you both ❤️❤️
I think about who we were when we were younger, and Rachel has been always a wonderful soul. I’m grateful we’ve been with each other through all the storms and the ones to come. Secretly, she’s his Godmother so she can never get rid of me or us. 😂
Thanks for reading and sharing feedback, Kaitlyn. This stood out from your response: “My thoughts on friendship is that it’s a living, breathing thing that needs us to adapt with it.”
I agree. It’s like any other relationship, there needs to be deposits alongside the withdrawals and the ability to repair in order to expect longevity. I’m happy to hear you enjoyed.
Marc - It's wild that you started this piece of sharing your prayer for a sister. It's something I've longed for as well. I'm thankful to have a wife who I can genuinely call beloved but there's always been an appeal.
Rachel - Thank you for a glimpse into ya'lls beautiful relationship and the glimmers of wisdom 🖤😊
Thanks for reading man. I feel so incredibly to have woman life my partner and Rachel in my life ❤️
It's a blessing for sure!
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Jamal. This was both the easiest and hardest thing to do lol
Also, I used to want a sister when I was really really young, then it clicked we would have to share things and I became grateful I was the only girl 😂
🤣
Someone with a sister was telling me all of the cons the other day and I was like "Dang, maybe I need to reconsider." lol
You made a U turn real quick 😂
Naw, I’m still in. Just had to think for a second 🤔🤣
😂 ha! that makes it even funnier
Myles is such a lucky kiddo!
I always say it feels like we are the lucky ones ❤️
I’m asking you both to please stop dicing onions in my home today
It’s not us, it’s the onions 😂
😅🙃 ~passes tissue~
He is in so many ways. Imagine a stack of love letters waiting for you to read over a lifetime? Bruh.
Gorgeous
Thank you for reading, Daisy. Your feedback is felt. 🌼
“What made me smile about your Mom was her all-in-ness when it came to a song she liked. She bounced to songs that had a groove, but when a beat really hit, she did her thing.”
Love this one my friend. ☺️🙏
This really perfectly captures my partner. I have a video I wish I could share lol
Thanks for sharing what stood out, Dee. There’s something so special about immortalizing someone on the page. It’s a different kind of keepsake.
This just took me back!!! Ugh love this so much there’s nothing like a friendship that spans so many life changes!
Took me back too! Little things like the security guards yelling tickled me so much 😂 High school was such a formative experience.
This must have been lovely for you all. I think there is an important subtext here too. Myles will benefit a lot from what you can read between the lines. The importance of the everyday stuff, especially in high school when it's all so intense.
I love that. The subtext!
Right! Selecting friends, even at a young age, is really the first time we choose those that will provide (emotional) safety for us. It’s such a big but small act. I wanted to provide some considerations that can continually be returned to. And you’re spot on - this was a very enjoyable collab. Thank you for reading!
I love the last photo of you holding baby Myles for the first time and him reaching out to you as if he knows. I do believe babies know stuff... they have a sense of things. Great piece!
Thanks so much! I really enjoyed choosing that picture. Him holding my face and my husband’s hand 🥹 too much adorableness to leave off the page. I appreciate you reading and sharing your feedback. 🙂
Oh I see that upon closer inspection now. I hadn't realised he was holding on to your face and your husband's hand. That's amazing, love at first sight. I thought he put his arms around you. Love it even more now.
It’s certainly a photo filled with details I’ll treasure for a lifetime.
Beautiful...the secret about how the mundane is the foundation of friendship, that's it! Reading it here I felt like I heard it for the first time. And that pic of Myles meeting his Uncle kills me. So great.
Thank you for latching on to that 😊. I wanted this piece to be three things - a letter, an origin story, and a toolkit. Deciding who to trust, love, and grow with is messy business and I wanted to share something that can at least be groundwork for decision making.
It did all those things and made me cry, ha! I loved every word.
High praise. Thanks, Deirdre.