We should explain our love and thankfulness

Being a mom, you know I love my girls. All parents love their kids, but it’s important to let them know every once in a while why exactly we love them. 

The old "I have to love you" thing just doesn’t work. We really don’t have to love them, we just do.

I am blessed — and they may have been cursed — to have the lives of daughters documented for the entire community to read and share over the past eight or nine years. Some days, that’s been pretty cool for them. Other days, not so cool.

Some days, it was pretty cool for me. Other days, not so cool for me either.

On Facebook this month, everyone has been posting what they are thankful for each day leading up to Thanksgiving. This week, I am going to celebrate and tell you why I am thankful for and why I love my girls.

My oldest daughter is a shy, extremely bright girl who is a talented musician. I love that she makes good grades, and I love that she makes me cry when she plays her flute.

What I really love about her is the crazy way in which she sees the world. There are no name brands to her. She is happy as a jay bird shopping in a thrift store.

There are no social groups to her. Everyone is equal and worthy in her eyes.

When she talks about philosophy and composers, we generally smile and nod without any clue what she is talking about, but I love listening to her talk about all of it just the same.

She is so passionate about her world views and music that you can’t help but get caught up in the enthusiasm.

The world is like a big adventure to her, and she wants to see and travel to every single part of it.

She dreams huge. I love listening to her talk about her life plan.

She gives free hugs every Friday on the East Carolina University campus, and like the Kleenex people in the television commercials, listens patiently to some of their problems that day.

She just thinks everybody needs a hug. I love her amazing free-spirited self.

My youngest daughter is a little shy, bright, hard-working and excels at just about everything she attempts. I love that she makes good grades, too, and that she cries at sappy movies right along with me.

What I really love about her is this amazing giving spirit she has. She enjoys serving others. She is the happiest when she is volunteering or contributing in some way. She gravitates to people who need her.

The world for her isn’t about what she will see and where she will travel, but what she will contribute and where she will ride her horse.

I love that she wants to fix everything and everyone. I love that she is braver than people think. She does get scared, but few will ever see it.

She always puts others first. Her happiness and what she needs always take the back seat.

We are working on that. Sometimes it’s OK and necessary to put you first. But, I love that selfless nature about her.

I am so thankful for my girls. Just because I put mainly the good stuff in the paper each week doesn’t mean they are perfect by any means. They have made mistakes and bad choices and messed up like every other teenager on the planet. I just don’t write about it all.

One day when they are grown, you might read about some of the mistakes. But for now, having their lives out there for everyone deserves some compassion on my part.

I am thankful for every single part of each of the girls and every moment they have shared with me.

This Thanksgiving, don’t just tell people that you are thankful for them. Tell them why you are thankful for them.

Everyone wants to know that they are unique and special, and everyone wants to know what makes you love them and thankful that they are in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

Kim Smith is a member of the Craven County Board of Education and the mother of two daughters. She can be reached at kimricesmith@embarqmail.com.