As kids of divorce, I think you can go one of two ways. You either want nothing to do with marriage or you have all these ideas about how you're going to do things differently. Growing up, watching my parents divorce was hard. It was raw and painful. They were each other's first love, and they were married for seventeen years. There are twelve years between my eldest brother Marc and I, and he was like my anchor. He'll tell you it was intentional. He wanted me to be okay. He made sure I always had a safe place to land. He did that for our other brother too.
I always knew he would make an amazing husband and father. When things didn't work out in his own marriage, I know it wasn't easy. I know he had plans for his life and what marriage and fatherhood would look like. The thing is, I have never been more proud of him. He has consistently put his son first: above his feelings, his wants, and his needs. Fatherhood for him is selfless. It's kind, consistent and stable. It's a safe place to land. It's a beautiful thing to watch. As his sister, I know what has informed the choices he has made. When I watch him with his son, I think "Oh, this is why we went through what we did." It was so he could be the kind of father he has become.