Relationship Reflection

In week 2 of my third class, we will be discussing the importance and long-lasting effects of relationships on child development. This calls for me to reflect on my own relationships I participate in for my own life. In my opinion, relationships and partnerships are one in the same; it is important for all parties involved to partake and be a team player in order for any relationship or partnership to work and be effective. A relationship requires a give and take, an understanding, compromise, time, and care. Throughout my life I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by and be a part of various positive and influential relationships. Five people in which their relationships have had a positive influence or been an important part of my life will be discussed in detail below, including my parents (mom and dad), brother (Ryan), best friend (Jessy), boyfriend (Michael), and dog (Duke).

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The first relationship that has been a positive influence in my life would be the relationship I share with my parents. My parents have always been there for me, always been firm but fair, loving, caring, encouraging, understanding, supportive, and so much more. My dad and I have always shared a bond via sports. We are a huge sports family and many fond memories come from times we worked together in our back yard or when he was coaching my softball team through the years. He always knew how to challenge me but support me at the same time and was my biggest fan. My mom and I have always been very close and I love that I can say now she is one of my best friends. She has always been my shoulder to cry on, ear to listen, and the best advice giver around. First and foremost, she was my mom and at times I did not like what she had to say but now I appreciate her so much more. My parents have showed me how to raise a child, how to persevere through challenges and difficult times, how to take care and love one another, and so much more. I will always be grateful for the life they provided for me and how they raised me, as well as how they continue to support me in every life decision I make, even at 27 years old and not living at home. I love them both and I feel very lucky to have such wonderful parents.

The second relationship that has been a positive influence and partnership is the one I share with my younger and only brother, Ryan. Ryan and I are almost 7 years apart. I still remember the day I found out I was going to be a big sister - I was so excited I couldn't stop talking about it! I went into my Kindergarten classroom the next day and drew a big picture and told everyone all about it. I couldn't wait to be a big sister. When my brother was born, I immediately wanted to be the helper. He was my little buddy right away and I loved it. There were times through the years that he absolutely, positively drove me bonkers but at the end of the day I couldn't be more grateful for him. We have always been close and again I feel lucky to call him one of my best friends. He is currently in college about 2 hours away and having the time of his life. I am so proud of him and happy for him but do miss having him around! My boyfriend and I both hang out with him a lot - Mike (my boyfriend) has taken him under his wing over the past 7 1/2 years as if he was his own little brother - and they are best buds, too. This relationship has made me very protective, taught me so much about how to help someone and be there for someone, and more importantly that family is forever. He has grown up to be an all around great guy with a good heart who is a great brother, son, and friend and someday will make a great husband and father. Love that (not-so) little guy.

The third relationship that has had one of the biggest influences on my life is the relationship I shared with my very best friend and "adopted sister", Jessy, for 12 years. We met on the first day of school in first grade, both brand new to Bellmawr Park school. We instantly hit it off and over the next 12 years of our school careers we had become inseparable. Our families even became friendly and we were "adopted" into one another's families, going to family parties and gatherings and much more. She was my person. She was my go to when I needed someone. We were always together and always there for each other. Jessy was and continues to be one of the nicest, kindest, most genuine people I have ever met with the biggest heart to love and help everyone she had ever met. At the beginning of our senior year of high school (2004), whilst making plans for our exciting future, Jessy had a brain aneurism and within a week she passed away. This was a blow to my system and to this day continues to be something I struggle to deal with. It left me with a huge void and not a day passes by that I do not miss her. She taught me so many things about life, love, friendship, and more. This relationship, hands down, has had the biggest influence on my life and continues to influence me everyday, even though she is gone. RIP always, my best friend forever, JRL.

The fourth relationship I chose to share is the relationship that has been a HUGE part of my life for the past 7 1/2 years; the relationship that I share with my boyfriend, Michael, the love of my life. When we first met we instantly hit it off. We had so many things in common and just enjoyed talking to each other. Since I was 2 hours away in college, we spoke on the phone almost daily and just enjoyed chatting and making one another laugh. We developed a friendship and I am so glad I can call him my best friend, as well. The past 7 1/2 years I have spent with Mike have been a blessing. I am so thankful everyday for him to be a part of my life and I believe, deep down, that Jessy sent him to me. They would be the best of friends if she could be here and I am thankful to her for sending him to me a year and a half after losing her. He has helped me in so many ways to become the person I am today, just as Jessy has. Mike is the funniest, sweetest, most caring man I have ever met and been with. He makes me laugh everyday and always knows how to cheer me up or help me through my hardest and most challenging moments. I honestly don't know what I would do or where I would be without him in my life. He has taught me how to love and care for someone so deeply and I cannot wait for the day I will be lucky enough to say I am his wife and we can then eventually have our own family. He is my other half and I love him to pieces.

The last relationship I chose to share is the relationship I share with my one and only favorite pup, my buddy, my dog Duke! The Dukester is the dog that Mike bought right after we began dating officially, 7 1/2 years ago. I instantly fell in love with this pup and helped take care of him, name him, and called him my own. Mike immediately called me "his mommy" and told everyone that Duke was "our dog", which of course made me so happy. Duke is a pit bull and hands down the sweetest, cutest, and most loyal and loving dog I have ever met. The breed gets such a bad rap and I always tell people that if they spent just five minutes with my Duke, they would change their minds about the breed altogether! He loves kids and enjoys every second he spends with my little cousins and goddaughter. He barely barks but loves to be pet and have all your love and attention. He is my little buddy and a part of our little family. Mike and I refer to him as "our child" because that is exactly how we treat him and how we feel about him! This relationship is just as special as the others and has taught me responsibility and how to take care of someone besides myself. I do think it is great preparation for when you have children and I couldn't imagine life without my little buddy. He may drive me absolutely insane some days but being able to come home to him everyday, being welcomed by his happy face and wagging tail knowing he is SO happy to see you, is such an awesome feeling. I love my Dukester.

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Each of these relationships have not always been easy to maintain, each has had their challenges, but each has always been and always will be worth fighting for and working out. Each relationship has a different meaning to me but is equally important to me, as well. They all have a very special place in my heart that will never change or disappear. I firmly believe that each of these relationships is in some way a partnership, especially my relationship with Mike. At the heart of our relationship is a friendship foundation, which has been the rock that has gotten us through even our toughest moments. I call it a partnership because we are a team, we work together, we support one another, we take care of each other through good and bad, we challenge and encourage one another, and so much more. Each day we work at our relationship and make it better, each day I love him more. Without this foundation, without this partnership in which we are BOTH invested, our relationship would NOT have made it 7 1/2 years and counting. :)

In addition, I think each of these relationships has taught me life skills and characteristics and made me into the person I am in order to better help me be the best educator I could possibly be in this field. The relationship that has taught me the most about how to relate and understand the field I work in would be the one I share with my brother, Ryan, and my dog, Duke, for various reasons. Caring for my brother through the years showed me from a very young age that I wanted to work with children and be a teacher. In addition, my relationship with my dog has taught me responsibility, love, and patience, all of which can also be applied to my field.

In closing, each of these relationships has, and will continue to have, a long-lasting, positive influence and impact on my life and on my outlook on and role in relationships and partnerships. I have learned so much from each of these people over the past 27 years of my life and will continue to learn for the next 27 years plus! I consider myself a lifelong learner in terms of education, but also in terms of life, as well. I value relationships with my parents, brother, best friend, boyfriend, and dog so much, as well as the rest of my friends and family I did not mention. If I mentioned everyone, I would sit here for days writing and sharing pictures! I am eternally thankful, grateful, and lucky to be blessed with these people in my life and will always let them know how much I treasure them and the lessons they are teaching me in my life.

Until next time….