I Learned A LOT From My In-Laws

I credit my in-laws for opening my eyes to the oddities of my parents. My in-laws were entirely different from what I knew parents to be. They were actually interested in the lives of their children. That's not said with sarcasm, just awe. It was amazing, odd, strange and entirely unfamiliar to sit at their kitchen table and listen to my mother-in-law ask about my spouse's childhood friends. She knew their names, their parents' names, where they lived, their interests, even their personalities. And she cared. It blew me away. It was like I'd been transported to an alternate reality.

My spouse would call my in-laws when something special happened. Job changes, promotions, a new project or a new car -- they cared about these things. They'd smile and listen. They'd take pictures. Things going on in my spouse's life was important to them. All this was so foreign.

My in-laws even cared about me. They always gave me thoughtful birthday presents. They treated me like a member of the family even before we were engaged. It took my mother nearly two years after we married to remember my spouse's name. We dated for four years before marrying. After nearly twenty years, she still can't remember when my spouse's birthday is. She doesn't have it written down anywhere. She doesn't know her two grandchildren's birthdays either.

I'm sad that I only recently gained the knowledge to understand the precious gift they gave me in showing me what loving parents are like. I wish I had understood earlier so I could have thanked them.