I'm Everything I am... Because You Loved Me...

I heard this song tonight by Celine Dion and I was struck by how much the words meant to me.

"For all those times you stood by me

For all the truth that you made me see

For all the joy you brought to my life

For all the wrong that you made right

For every dream you made come true

For all the love I found in you"

Last night, while sitting at the gorgeous lake I call my home... the sun was coming down and Jeff and I sat while watching Catherine, Noah, Ella and Cassidy swim and laugh and do amazing things off the diving boards. I looked around and couldn't help but feel tremendous gratitude and expressed to Jeff how my life has come a long way. What a glorious place we now call our home!

Growing up poor in Paterson, I remember thinking that people who had pools were so rich. I could never ever imagine a lake, a beach, a community, a life where I live now. Or could I?

I always knew I would not be "poor". I just knew better things were ahead... Life was bursting with possibility. But where did that come from? I had a Puerto Rican father with a 5th grade education and his mantra was always, "get educated". I can remember him telling me that I should not be married or have kids until I had a college degree, a home and a bank account. Pretty amazing for a man who fled his abusive family at the ripe age of 13 and made it down the mountain of Utuado, Puerto Rico to New Jersey.

Then there was my mother. My amazing, strong, resilient mother... 5 children at 25 years old and never had healthy parents to support her. She worked two jobs and did everything she could to move us out of poverty and into possibility. Amazing!

We didn't know it then. We know it now! Without her, it's too scary to think of the possibilities.

More importantly at this point in our lives... are my 3 older siblings, Bob, Rain and Brenda... How these three amazing human beings navigated through such turmoil and chaos to pave the way and carve an amazing path for Nadine and I, I may never understand. I can only express my sincere gratitude. I can speak for both Nadine and I and we are most grateful!

I only know that today, everyday, I am so grateful for my life. My amazing life. The life my kids have and will continue to have. All of this so possible because I was loved. All of this so amazing because we have loved one another. There can't be another human being on the planet more grateful than me.

I love you Mom, Dad, Bob, Rain, Brenda, Nadine, Uncle Jim and Aunt Phyllis... I am everything I am because you loved me...

Eternally,

Jordan