I read my sister Cali's blog this morning and for those of you who don't know her it's well worth reading. She and her husband are new parents. After struggling for sometime with infertility they finally had a baby boy placed with them for adoption. As a sister I was able to have a unique perspective on their situation as they started dealing with infertility and was actually able to talk openly from the beginning.
At first it was hard to know they were going through something I would obviously never understand, but Cali was able to teach me so much.
First, never to try to say something to "make it all better" because I can't.
Second, never to feel guilty for my own situation being different, it just is.
Third, Heavenly Father knows us individually and what one person may see as a challenge another will see as a blessing.
And fourth, never to apologize or feel guilty for the things I am able to do. They are part of Heavenly Father's plan for me and no one who loves and cares about me would want to change that.
She helped me realize the true difference between sympathy and empathy and has given me a new perspective on things I otherwise wouldn't have known. In short, though she may not know it, through sharing her experiences she has helped me become a better person. So Sis, thanks for all the lessons learned. You are such a great mom, I mean I turned out OK and you've been teaching me for years. I love you.