"I'm So Proud of You"

It's amazing what the words "I'm proud of you" can do.

I got to talk to my most favorite elderly woman today, my grandma. The only one I've got now. She's on a mission, so I don't get to talk to her very often. I mean, yes I'm allowed, but she's super busy in Missouri of course, and I am super busy going to school and here working. So when we do both have the time to talk to each other, I take every opportunity.

She is such an easy person to talk to. She never says that I'm crazy or wrong or anything negative. She always just listens and I feel like she definitely sees my side of things just as much as she helps me to see the other person's side.

Something else I love about her though is that that first thing she always asks is "How are you doing?" or "How are things in the life of Ashley?" (She's one of the only people who still call me Ashley all the time. Haha) And then she just listens while I ramble on. Well today, I was explaining to her about all my recent stresses, and I finished by telling her where I stood. But the first thing she responded wasn't any sort of advice or counter to what I said. She simply just said "I'm so proud of you Ashley. That is such a healthy attitude. I am just so impressed with the woman you are becoming. You've got your head on straight, both feet planted on the ground, and a very firm testimony and relationship with the Savior."

It was so so nice to hear! This whole year, I've been trying to work on myself (which isn't a bad thing) but I've been working so hard to make sure I am becoming what everyone else would see as a good person and who I want me to become. But she helped me to see that I'm actually not completely off the beaten path! She continued by saying "You know, when I was your age, I was no where near where you're are now." and she told me about all the things she was concerned with and her challenges back then, but she said that this mission has really helped her to become the person she wanted to be too. And then her voice cracked and she said "I am just so proud of you."

That was all I needed, all I could've asked for her to say. I think that's all a lot of people need. Someone to say "You're doing okay! I'm proud of you! Keep it up!" Most of the time, I try to say it by giving someone advice or just listening. But everyone needs a little encouragement sometimes. So I had to write this out because I know I can have something to look at tomorrow or the next day or in a month, when things are getting rough. Someone is proud of me just for who I am. Thanks for that today Grandma. I think you are such an amazing person and I am so blessed to have you in my life. And even though your mission is hard, you've overcome every single challenge. I love you and I'm so proud of you.