Rainbow

Though my Mother never re-married after the divorce my Father did. He had two loves after my Mum. The first ended after many years and although my Dad was heart broken at the time it was also what allowed him to experience the true love of his life, Doug.
Doug and I met before he was my Dad's partner as he was friends with my Dad and my Mum through work. He was younger and full of a party animal spirit. He and I even went to a wedding together as he was friends with the bride and I was dating the Grooms son. Doug was wild and fun and searching for something. Blond hair, blue eyes and a big smile are how most saw Doug but behind the smile their was a slight shadow. You see it in many people if you look close enough. It is a part of themselves yet discovered and I could see that in Doug. I always wondered if he smiled when he was alone because to me that is the test of a truly happy person, if you smile when no one is watching.

Bringing together a conservative & proper business man with a party going aging wild child may not seem like a match made in heaven but here we are 17 years later and many of us look at their relationship and wish for a love as strong . I can also say with confidence that each of them now smiles when no one is watching.

My two Dads have the most amazing and positive effect on each other. Balancing out each others personality excesses and teaching one another to see the world through enlightened eyes.

In 1991 they stood before family, friends and curious on lookers and declared their love for one another in a Spiritual commitment ceremony. It was a wonderful summer day and laughter could be heard for miles around. A simple service conducted by Darrell, a family friend and United church minister, took place on the grass behind the swimming pool at our house and as they said "I do" we all knew we were witnessing something very special.
My Mum stood next to my Dad during the ceremony and acted as his best man. She never stopped loving my Dad as he really was the one and only love of her life but she beamed with joy that day and willingly handed over the keys to my Dads heart to Doug. He was the only person she would of trusted them to.
Doug was instantly a part of our family and it was hard to imagine that he hadn't always been so.
Being a step parent is never easy. Being a step parent to a precocious and head strong little redhead with a fiery temper is another story all together. But Doug handled it in his stride and always gave me enough rope to see the edge of the cliff without allowing me to actually hang myself.
As I have mentioned in other posts, I feel very blessed for my three parents. None of whom could of raised me alone but together they took the precocious, head strong, little redhead with a temper and grew a confident, loving, happy, larger redhead with a slightly more controlled temper.
Family doesn't come in a one size fits all box. It comes in multitude of shapes, sizes and colors. Mine just happens to be a rainbow.

Please take the time today to enjoy the many colors of your family.

Blessed Be, Love and Light.