Shannon “isms”

My daughter-in-law, Morgan Sugg, jokes about me writing a book (she has one coming out in 2021). We joke that at least one chapter has to be devoted to to church names… You see, she is from Texas and they keep their church names simple, but here in the Carolina’s, we keep the names long and drawn out. (We will address that fact another day 😊).

Another chapter of my book, as we jokingly say, has to be devoted to Shannon. Shannon, is my ex-husband, Anthony’s, youngest daughter, and she is the person who glues us all together. Shannon is a beautiful girl, and honestly one of the smartest people I know. Yet, she has no clue of those things, she is simply Shannon. She is lighthearted, easy to laugh, and always quick with a joke. She says things that make us know she has no clue of her beauty or her intelligence, and that’s why we love her so much!

One time Shannon and my daughter, Morgan, were talking about Shannon going to college next year. Shannon said, “I think I have a 4.2 GPA”, “I hope I can get into college somewhere” 😐 Morgan replied something like this…”I think you will be able to get in somewhere” 🤦‍♀️ I am sure Morgan was thinking things like…”are you for real” and “yeah kid, you can go anywhere”.

You see the innocence of someone who does not know how others see them, what others know to be true about them, is refreshing. Shannon does not brag or boast. Shannon is quick to give anyone a helping hand. She will gladly come help me with Laney and Karlee. She is also quick to come help me with Math homework, and never act like…”why don’t you know this?” She simply accepts I have not been to school in a long time and need some help.

I recently wrote a blog “Lessons I learned from a baby”. Well it could easily be…”Lessons I learned from Shannon”. Shannon knows no limits. She is one of the 2020 graduates who will not know what it is like to walk across the stage and receive a diploma, while all her family and friends cheer her on. Her sister, Miranda, is graduating from Campbell University this year and also will not get the graduation she deserves. Does that bring these two sweet kids down? No it does not. They simply know all things work together for good.

Let’s all keep in mind. Love comes from many places. Love for me, with Shannon and Miranda, comes from a teenager and a college student, who really aren’t any kin to me technically, but I will always claim them as my own.

What is one of your true loves? What has God unexpectedly given you? God gives us unexpected people, who give us love beyond compare! They make life easier. They make the grief we are feeling, due to our present circumstances, a little more bearable.

So, love the ones God gave you. The ones who never leave you. The ones who are always there in the hard times. The ones who come in your life in unexpected ways.