Inspiring Relationship Stories

[Mebert]

SMB and Spikesgirl inspired me to start this thread from the Cruise Forum.

Can we relate, if we care to, some inspiring stories about relationships we have with children, godchildren, siblings, parents, friends, co-workers, cruisecrazies, or whoever.

Let's think about our most sobby stories to help encourage and inspire each other.

At first I didn't think much of what I had posted and then SMB and Spikesgirl had me take another look. Low and behold I realized how close I am to my godson.

Let's have "No Bad News" stories here unless they have a rosy ending. We want to feel good in this thread. I'll start another thread for bad news and tragic stories.

I'll start off with the little story I had in the Cruise Discussion Forum.

I used to travel with my godson from the time he was about 14 years old. I was like his surrogate father because he came from a fatherless home. We used to stay at my brothers house in Florida, traveled to L.A., San Francisco, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, Mobile, Houston, Reno, Las Vegas, Canada, Mexico, and many local places near our home. I used to suggest certain adventures and let him choose what he wanted to do. If he couldn't make a decision, I would choose. He always seemed to be satisfied with the result. He seemed to just be happy visiting a new and unknown place and any thing that we did was a learning experience for him.

One of the highlights of our traveling adventures was in Salt Lake City when a store clerk asked me if my godson was my son. I hemmed and hawed and said "No. He's my godson." When we got out of the store my godson said "When somebody asks you if I'm your son, say yes and be proud of it." That made my day.

My godson is now 34 years old and a father and seems to be very experienced in traveling with his son.

We have many fond memories and photographs as momentos of our quality time together.

[Spikesgirl]

Okay, Mebert, since I got you thinking, I'll add my two cents worth to this.

When I was working in the Scene Shop, all the Theater Appreciation students had to put in either 10 hours in the shop or write a paper. Students being what they are, I used to get lots of help.

One day, a shy Japanese exchange student came in and asked if he could work. Although I was ready to close up for the day, I found a small task for him to do. He finished it with such style and finese, that I found something else for him to work on. By the time he had put in his ten hours, we had become friends.

Two years later, he graduated with honors with a AA in Technical Theater. he then went on to San Francisco State where he earned an BA with honors in theater set design. he started the MFA program there, but was lured away by Boston University and a Fulbright scholarship. Today, he's designing and working on Broadway.

In his graduation speech, he credited all his achievements to the support that Chris and I had given him over the year.

Oh, he's also our adopted son and we couldn't be more proud of him.

Hope that fits your request for a happy ending, Mebert!

Charlie

[Mebert]

Spikesgirl,

Thank you.

That's right on target. I was really moved by your interaction with your adopted son.

[Gregswife]

Mebert, how wonderful that you could be such a positive role model in the life of that young man. His comment to you proved that he looked upon you as a father figure. This isn't really an inspiring story but, my oldest son was a "troubled adolescent". We tried our best to steer him to the right path but if there was a decision to be made, it appeared he would always make the wrong one. If we drew a line in the sand, he immediately stepped over it. There were times when I really did not see how I would make it thru those years. We sacrificed a lot, financially, physically and emotionally, because as parents - that is what you do, to help him realize the "error of his way". Even though he did eventually "outgrew" it, Greg and I believed that he still harbored some resentments for the hard decisions we had made to ensure his very survival at that time and also for a positive future for him. Years later, on his wedding day, minutes before the ceremony, he handed both his father and I sealed envelopes. As the wedding was about to begin, I put it away until that evening. When I read it, I was glad I had waited because all of my make-up would have been smeared all over my face as I walked down the aisle. He talked about the things that he had gone thru and that now he realized that we had virtually saved his life and he was sorry for all he had put us thru. In mine, he said that if Leah turned out to be half the wife, mother and woman I was, he would be blessed. In his dad's he talked about the steadfast example his father had always been. I made a copy of both letters, and have them here, but the originals are in our safety deposit because they are very precious to us.

[cruisetarp]

Mebert - this is a wonderful thread and I will add to it. Here is my story.

In 1989 I had closed down my small daycare business in order to return to the business world where my day would consist of more than dirty diapers. Before I got back there though Jim came home from work and told me a friend he traveled with each day had a big problem. She had 3 month old twin girls and her babysitter had just up and quit on her with no notice. Seems she couldn't adjust to the fact that they did not sleep all day and were on completely different schedules. I called the Mom (I knew her from a few parties this travelling group had each year) and told her I would watch the girls for 1 month only - while she found a permanent sitter. She dropped them at 6AM every morning and picked them up at 6:30 each night. However after the first month I was hooked and she called off her search for a full time sitter. Two years later they actually bought the house next door to us so now I saw the girls even when I wasn't watching them.

When the girls were 5 their dad walked out on the family and their mom suffered a breakdown. They spent more and more time at our house and for some reason actually seemed more comfortable with us than with any of their aunts. I became "Class Mom" for several of their classes and Jim took over the father duties(field work, umpiring, etc.) when they played softball, etc. We proudly sat in the family row for Communions, Confirmations and Graduations. We sat with Heather when she was diagnosed with Diabetes and wiped her tears away and held Caitlins hand in the ER after a car accident. Next week we will be there for her again when she has further surgery from that accident.

We knew the girls loved us but never realized the extent til their "Sweet 16" b'day party. There was not a dry eye in the house when they asked us up to the front of the hall and thru tears told everyone what we meant to them and how much we have helped them along the way.

It was very hard on them when we moved away and they began skipping school and failing subjects but once we heard of it we took them to task and got them to straighten up. In June they will both be on the honor roll when they graduate from high school. Next week they will be up for the weekend when we go shopping for Prom dresses and we will design the invitations to their graduation party. Our graduation gift to them will be our 9 day cruise in August - something we promised them when they were little girls. Every year when we got ready to cruise they would ask if they could come and we told them we would take them when they graduated. They claim they forgot all about that - we didn't.

They are such special girls and we love them so much.....they are FAMILY to us and we will always be there for them. It is wonderful to know they feel the same way.

[Mebert]

Gregswife,

Are you kidding. That was a very moving story. You've given hope to many parents who are struggling with their teenagers out there.

cruisetarp,

I feel pretty close to your story because I remember when you had asked for prayers for one of those girls. It's all coming together now. When you wrote about them I really thought you were writing about "family." You were writing about "family" in its most true and perfect sense.

Thank you both for those great stories.

[Spikesgirl]

Wow, what great stories! Cheryl and Mary Lou, you choked me right up. It is so wonderful that you were able to reach out and touch the lives that you have. Here's to many more success stories in this thread.

Thanks again for starting it, Mebert!

Charlie

[KeithnRita]

We have some really special members here and we sure are proud to be able to call you our friends! This thread was so good we posted twice!

[KeithnRita]

We have some really special members here and we sure are proud to be able to call you our friends!

Would you believe three times!

[Mebert]

Keith & Rita,

The relationship that you share with the members of this board is a story unto itself. For some reason, I don't know why, I feel very close to you. It's always fun reading your posts and imagining you as a couple waltzing around the ship in the different lounges. Your avatars are love stories in themselves, not to mention your sense of humor.

You are a shining example of what it is like to have fun as a couple on a cruise.

You two must speak with one voice because I never know which one of you is posting.

Deepest Regards,