The “L” Word is the Most Important Word of All

In our world, it’s hard to define everyday words because we have so much jargon. I have worked with groups of families who have asked for a glossary of terms so they can understand what each word means. For example, authorization, waiver, ineligible, Direct Support Professional, etc., are challenging for those not in our industry to understand. I have been working on creating a short description of how these words would apply to everyone. Here is my latest attempt.

Everyone lives in a home filled with love, and all that love makes possible.

Here is why this phrase may work.

This year, my husband and I will celebrate our 50th anniversary of the Valentine’s Day we met. It was down the street from the Waterman home, where we attended a leadership development retreat at Sugar Loaf. Throughout these years that we’ve been together, I have seen what love makes possible. I can make a list of joys, like buying our first home, bringing home our first child, and celebrating with family and friends. But I can also make a list of sorrows, the passing of my grandmother, his parents, and even the loss of a beloved pet. We’ve faced trials and challenges together, but love has made all those times necessary. It was the reason we got through them and only improved our lives.

When I think of the future, I think about how love can inspire the right choices, the new ideas which lift both the people we support and those who do the investing.

In the following few blogs, I will explore the “L” word and ask all of us to dig into our hearts and minds to create a happy, healthy life.