DP: Proud

Daily Prompt: Proud When was the last time someone told you they were proud of you.

The other day my husband told me he was proud of me, and last weekend my dad told me he was proud of me. As children, we’re often in need of those words, “I’m proud of you,” and like most I needed to hear those words from my parents. As I grew older, I learned that sometimes other people can feel proud of you but unless you’re also proud of yourself, proud of your accomplishments, the words seem to bounce right on off of you.

In my lifetime, I’ve had two children who are now grown and are good kids. They are both in college. My daughter is an awesome mother. I am very proud of my children, and they are two of my best accomplishments. I am proud of myself, even though I wasn’t a perfect parent, or even the best parent I could have been at times, I never gave up trying to be a better parent, and my daughter has often told me that she is proud that I am her mom.

I’ve also gone to college and had to drop out; I was a single parent and it was tough trying to work full-time and go to college full-time. At one point, both of my children needed braces so I took a job with good benefits but it meant I worked 50+ hours a week so college was out of the question. Do I regret not finishing my degree? Yes. But I don’t regret the reasons I had to quit, and I’d do it all over again if it meant doing what was best for my children instead of what was best for me. Now, on the other side of that coin, had I finished my degree when they were younger I’d have been able to get a better job and things would have been better, but sometimes the short term needs out weigh the long term needs.

I have been through the mill in regard to crappy past relationships. So when I met my husband, it’s a second marriage for both of us, I’m proud of the fact that I opened my mind and my heart, and refused to let the baggage from the past stand in the way of what I knew was something completely different, someone who was completely different–something that was extremely special. He was in the same boat, so we’re both proud of ourselves and each other.

Maybe this prompt gave me a chance to think of all the things my husband has said he’s proud of me for: that I never give up, that I am compassionate and open-minded, that I am affectionate and I am always willing to listen, that I actually pay attention to him and his needs and that regardless of what is going on I tend to always try to see the good in things…And as I think about some of those things I realize he’s right, and part of it is just how I am and part of it is because he truly does bring out the best in me.

So as I end this, I’d just like to say: Take a moment to think about at least a few things you’ve accomplished and pat yourself on the back. You deserve it!

Related articles

• Tooting my own horn (thelissachronicles.wordpress.com)
• Single Parenting: Perspective and My Bubble of Resentment (mistermamasir.com)

About these ads