Are You In It for the Long Run?

When I married my husband, I made a long-term commitment, for better or for worse. Without that commitment it would have been easy to quit. I remember how often I thought in the beginning, "Life was easier as a single parent than trying to make it work in this blended family." But I'm thankful today I stuck it out.

During our early years, my stepdaughter and I floated in and out of a tense relationship. I often felt compared to her mother and didn't think I would ever measure up. There were times I was hurt and discouraged with our communication. But I never gave up on finding a way to connect with her.

My stepdaughter now lives in another state. We don't see her as often as we would like, but she just spent five days with us and we had a wonderful visit. At 24 years old, she has grown into a mature young lady. She values her relationship with us and shows her appreciation for our efforts and sacrifices we made during her upbringing. Time and maturity has healed old wounds and we can laugh about our mistakes and challenges of years' past.

If I had quit trying to have a positive relationship with her, I would have missed out on the joy of what we now share. My relationship with her is a beautiful reminder of the difference it can make if we don't give up.

Commit to go the long run. Some days will be hard. But in the end, the rewards will be worth the effort.