My Inspiration

It's crazy to think that even as children we have Inspirations and people who we recognize as worthy candidates to aspire to one day when we grow up.

Today's  special inspiration is someone who I have known since birth and who continues to inspire me today; my Aunty.

It's weird calling her my Aunty though because we're so close that she feels more like a best friend or sister.

You see my mum is the oldest of 4 girls and my Aunty Paula is the youngest, so me and her are only 12 years apart and so is she and my mum.

I remember as a child looking up to her for moving away from home and starting her life in Adelaide, while choosing to study teaching.

Eventually she became a mum at 24, built a house and has since popped out 3 other beautiful children while still working part time as a teacher.

Neither of my parents went to uni so when I needed advice on what to study I turned to her.

In my first year at University she took me under her wing and we shared the same roof as she taught me the ropes both around Adelaide during the day and partying up a storm at night. So many people would think that she was taking me out as the bigger sister on my first night legally on the town!!

I could tell her anything and we'd have some great laughs, shopping expeditions and also many d and ms.

It was this relationship that we built that definitely shone brightly while I was sick.

It was my Aunty who would visit me in hospital and take me for walks. She'd pick me up for the day to try and bring some normality back into my life.

While my family was having a meltdown she tried to stand strong with my husband. She would stop everything at school if she got a call to say I wasn't doing too well.

There are things she saw, moments she held those closest to me up and times when even she, the strongest of strong, broke down, but she never gave up on me.

When I was feeling better and returning to work slowly she'd pick me up to do some retail therapy as a reward for facing my anxiety and going back to work. She d meet me in the city for coffee and would go out of her way to show me I was loved and cared for.

The crazy thing is that my depression has humbled both of us and opened our eyes to an illness so challenging and horrible that it's changed our views on life.

We used to be such stress heads who would spend hours perfecting lesson plans or writing assignments. We cared too much about what others thought and we'd get caught up in people's bitchiness.

But going through my depression together has definitely put our health and happiness first and we've learnt to let go of the stresses that don't matter.

My Aunty is a great mum, an amazing teacher, a family member who recognizes that we must invest time and effort into relationships, a person who I look up to and admire and one of my best friends.

When we re together people must think we're such nut jobs because we're loud, out of control, giggling goober!

I miss her so much and I'm so proud of her own anxieties that she's been conquering.

I'm so blessed to have her in my life.

So to Aunty Paula thank you for being there through life's ups and downs and for letting me be apart of your children's lives.

I know this post is going to make you cry and will bring back some painful memories but hopefully above all, it shows you how special you are to me. I hope one day my niece looks up to me with the same admiring eyes that i look up to you.

To other people out there; don't take your family for granted just because they are blood; often your family are the ones who will stick by you through thick and thin and they deserve your respect,  forgiveness and love just like you'd treat a friend.

Look after yourself and those around you,

Kirsty xxx