Acceptance

Daddy's day is rapidly approaching so I thought I'd write about my dad. My dad is a 46 year old man who loves all things nature. From the time I was a little girl, he's had me hiking, fishing, camping, and biking.

When my mom found out that I was rumbling in her tummy, she didn't tell my dad at first. They were hiking up a steep mountain and my mom started to get concerned that I could get hurt, so she told him that he had a child on the way. Every time I drive past that rocky treeless mountain, I look up and think about it.

I remember when my mom had a major head injury that nearly killed her. Our lives were, at that point, quite torn to pieces. My mom wasn't the same (and still isn't). For instance, sometimes it just feels like she's not even there. She'll stare into space for long periods of time. She's most definitely improved though.

At the point of her injury, things were not looking too good for my family. Whether it was money problems, mental problems, or physical problems, everything was a mess. One day during this time, my dad told me something when we were on the way to my grandmother's house. I have held onto these words of wisdom and will always continue to hold onto them:

"Nicole, at some point you just realize that things are just the way that they are. There's nothing you can do to change it."

It's helped me accept myself and the situations around me over the years. I guess I just am the way that I am? I accept things and just go with the flow as opposed to trying to fit into a mold. Today I received a text from a friend that reminded me of my daddy's words of wisdom.

"Nicole you ARE weird. But that's one of the reasons why I like you. Because you don't go through the cycle like everybody else does. You do your own thing. And that's good."

It made me smile. I am a direct result of what my dad told me that one day.