Lillian is my cousin who is more like a second mom. She has been in my life for as long as I can remember. Through the good times and bad, I can’t remember when she wasn’t there when I needed her.
Some of my fondest memories when I was younger, were sitting on her back porch and having great conversations. One thing I love about her (not in the top five) is that she never talked at me or down to me. She spoke to me as if I was on her level. She made me believe I had something important to say.
She has lived a life I aspire to live. Here are the five reasons I want to be like Lillian.
She is content with life. Not content in the sense that her life is boring. But content, in the sense she has found her happiness and enjoying living in it. She doesn’t worry about what people think or feel. I believe she has reached the mecca of self-actualization.
She is modest. She doesn’t live in a big fancy house or drive a fancy car (which she deserves). She doesn’t like fancy items and is okay with the basics. Glitz and glam don’t appeal to her. She isn’t greedy and never has her hand out.
She is so wise. I love hearing her nuggets of wisdom. Don’t brag about what you know; allow others to teach you what they know. She has a million other stories that show her wisdom. She has lived a life that embodies the title of this website, lessons learned. Wisdom earned.
She is selfless. As long as I have known her (all my life). I have seen her give and not expect anything in return. It’s not just with the tangible but with her time; she is the most patient human I have ever met. She taught me how to ride a bike and helped me learn how to read and do long division. There is no time I remember that she wasn’t there for me.
She is humble. She is the most magnificent woman I have ever met in my life. She has a lot that she could brag about. However, you would never know about the people she’s helped and the lives she has touched. She is just a silent angel walking amongst us.
These are the top five reasons I want to be like Lillian; there are a hundred more. See while others want to model their lives after TV stars and social media celebrities. I want to be like Lillian: a content, modest, selfless, and humble human being who gives more to the world than I could ever get out of it.
Now that I am ‘grown’ and life gets in the way, I don’t have as much time to spend with her. I’m so thankful I could see her life as an example of how I should live. Though she will never be written about in history books, I will cherish her life and love.
When I grow up, I want to be just like Lillian.
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