I was thinking of surprising my nephew by stopping by his game on his Birthday. Well, okay, not completely a surprise because I did tell him I might try and come.

Not a big deal really. It just got me thinking…

‘I am so glad I grew up in a family like I did.’

The kind of family that ‘Loves Abundantly.’

I remember, at twenty, opening my apartment door and there with gigantic grins were my mom and two of my sister’s. My mom cradling a huge pot of spaghetti sauce as they shouted,”Happy Birthday!”

They had driven five hours to my college in Scranton, Pennsylvania to surprise me.

In these past few difficult years, my family has loved me abundantly as they have done my entire life and this includes my sister and brother-in-law who to me, are my siblings as well. There have been texts, calls, cards, gift cards, presents, visits, lunches, breakfasts, dinners, you name it. They have sent little reminders that I am loved abundantly and that this too shall pass.

Our mother taught us to love abundantly.

I would come home to a silly message scribbled and hanging by magnet to the stove. I would find fruit Mentos on the kitchen table with a note saying that while my mom was at work, she stopped for lunch and thought of me when she saw my favorite candy. I would walk into my bedroom and see the occasional cute sweater or shirt because she said she found the greatest sale.

Our mom not only hugged us, told us we were fabulous and said ‘I love you’ as often as breathing, she found as many ways as possible to make sure that we were loved. I remember reading The Five Love Languages and thinking that I felt loved in all five ways and thinking what a blessing.

I think one of the reasons my marriage failed is that my husband and I loved differently. Of course, this is the entire premise for the book The Five Love Languages.

We came from families that loved differently.

I remember someone in his family saying to me, “You were spoiled growing up.”

It stunned me, being spoiled is not a pleasant reference. I was in that moment a deer in the headlights.
It also confused me. I had worked all through high school, paid my own way through college, bought my first car, we paid for our own wedding and so on.

It was in that moment that I realized that they were criticizing me for love spoiling and not material spoiling.

I was ready the second time it was said to me.

“You were spoiled,” The individual said.

“You’re right,” I said. “I was spoiled with love. How lucky am I?”

I come from a family that ‘Loves Abundantly!’

(Photo courtesy of Nikki Kauzlarich Photography)

Follow me on Facebook @Colleen Orme National Columnist
on Twitter @colleenorme
on Pinterest @colleensheehyorme
E-mail: Colleen.Sheehy.Orme@gmail.com
www.colleensheehyorme.com