For my 18th birthday my great aunt gave me a photo album, full of old pictures of my grandparents, and cousins, and great great grandma.
The oldest photo was from 1973.
For 50 years she kept a picture of her little sister safe, along with a whole album of others.
There were christmas cards from my aunt, and baby pictures of all of my siblings.
She labeled each with the name and date, and the event;
Every one scrawled out in elegant swirls and loops.

For my 18th birthday, my friends got me my favorite candies and wrote handwritten cards, reminding me of all the adventures we have had together.
One put together a scrapbook of all the photos we have from over the years; over a decade of memories compressed into a tiny book.
Shes been with me almost all my life and I know she will continue to be,
the women in my life rarely leave.

When I look in my room and see all the pieces I have from the women in my life, I am overwhelmed by the love and admiration i have for them.
Pictures, and short notes I have tacked to my wall, yearbook signatures, the bracelets they’ve made me in the bowl on my shelf, the handmade earrings in my ear, a card from my ex-boyfriends mom still sitting on my desk.
Their love surrounds me, and inspires me.
The women in my life love so deeply, and so beautifully.
When love begins to scare me, I look to them to feel brave.