Growing up I have always had a special bond with my godparents. To me they feel like another set of parents that I am equally close to. They have made it to everything from my first dance recitals, to middle school band concerts filled with the captivating sounds of squawking saxophones and off pitch Christmas melodies. I would go to their house for help with my math homework, which usually meant that I got to sleep over and crawl in the middle of their king-sized bed, sippy cup filled with Sunny D, my drink of choice, leaving them to wonder how such a small child could take up so much room. When I look back through the years at everything I have done in life I realize that they have always been there. They have been with me to congratulate me on my accomplishments, and pick me up when I am feeling down, even when I was too stubborn to admit I needed help. As cliché as it sounds I truly wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for these amazing people in my life.

My godparents have taught me many valuable lessons about life that I carry close to my heart and hope to pass down to my children, my Uncle Jim especially. The first one being “A closed mouth never gets fed”, this is a saying that I heard countless times growing up. As a child, I was stubborn and shy all at the same time. This combination lead to me sometimes not saying what I wanted to, or not asking for things I wanted. I was sheepish and looked down at the floor waiting for somebody to read my mind so I could have another glass of Sunny D, or ask my Uncle Jim to play Barbie’s with me. Somehow my Uncle Jim knew and would utter the phrase, “A closed mouth never gets fed” basically telling me that if I don’t ask for something in life then I’ll never get it. This is something I carry with me almost every day. Now that I am in college I have to start doing things on my own and when I feel myself starting to close up I remember that phrase that has followed me through life. I am learning how to branch out and not close up to all the options life has for me. Through these simple words, I have been able to push myself through situations I would have usually backed down from.

The second life lesson I learned is, no matter who I marry he’ll never be as good looking as good lookin Jimmy. Good lookin Jimmy started a long time ago when my uncle, cousin and I were playing with our lavish Barbie mansion fully decked out in pink hearts and tiny shoes that we could never keep track of. Even though we were on the floor hands and knees playing out dramatic scenes between Barbie and Ken, Uncle Jim would be down playing with us with all the Ken dolls obtaining the new name of good lookin Jimmy. We eventually gave the nickname to Uncle Jim and it stuck. Through the years my Uncle Jim has taught me what to expect from the man that I will marry and I hold his opinion very highly.

The last thing that I find to be the most important is the song that was sung to be since before I can remember, that song is “You are my Sunshine”. This song holds so many wonderful memories and always brings a smile to my face. Uncle Jim would pick me up and let me push the button on the sun that hangs in their kitchen and it would play this simply lovely song. That sun no longer plays but it still hangs in the kitchen as a reminder that I’ll always be their sunshine. For my graduation, I was given a card with the song lyrics scrawled in my godmother handwriting, I took it to a tattoo parlor and was able to get my godmothers handwriting tattooed on me along with two sunflowers. This tattoo is a lovely reminder of two amazing people in my life. When I am feeling low, need a friend or I’m just missing home a little more than usual, I always find myself singing this song.

My godparents are some of the most influential people in my life and I can’t thank them enough for everything they have done for me. They have been, and continue to be my rock when things get tough. They are always there to listen, and hug. My godparents are some of the most genuinely amazing people on this earth and they deserve so much in life. I just hope to make them proud of me in every way possible. This article only shows a tiny glimpse as to how wonderful they truly are. My godparents have been one of the greatest blessing to come into my life and I am so happy to share their wonderful stories.