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Dawn Lauren Anderson's avatar

Estrangement brings deep pain to both parent and child. Neil & Teri Leigh, thank you for sharing your story with such vulnerability and courage—it matters.

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Aline Brown's avatar

‘Love keeps spreading … just not where it started’ love that

Some of the tenderest wafts of love

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Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

"And the love he gives keeps spreading—just not always where it started." This line is a powerful testament to the enduring, almost alchemical nature of love. It reminds me that love isn't a finite resource tied to specific individuals or circumstances; it’s a force that seeks an outlet, a river that finds new paths when the old ones are blocked. Hobbit's story, as painful as it is, embodies a profound form of resilience. He continues to embody fatherhood, not for the recognition or the reciprocal relationship, but because it's simply who he is.

It’s a beautiful, if heartbreaking, truth that sometimes the purest forms of love are those given without expectation, those that flow outward even when they aren't explicitly received in the way we might hope. This kind of love, the kind that "keeps spreading," is a quiet superpower. It reminds me that our capacity for love is far greater and more adaptable than we often give ourselves credit for, and that our impact can extend far beyond the immediate family unit we initially envisioned.

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Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

love without expectations truly is a superpower.

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Aline Brown's avatar

I am deeply touched by this

58. LOVE IS … STILL BEING A FATHER

blessings to you both

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Teri Leigh 💜's avatar

Thank you Aline. Welcome to our quiet little corner of Substack. We're an odd pair with a big message that we whisper sweetly and humorously.

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Aline Brown's avatar

🙏🏼 thank you both for sharing your writing ✍️😊

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Mary Braun Bates, MD's avatar

From AI >>Purchasing tapioca in bulk, such as a ton or more, can significantly reduce the cost per unit compared to smaller purchases.

Thank you for sharing your story. The dry erase family therapist part is so poignant.

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Shruthi Vidhya Sundaram's avatar

I...just don't know how to respond. Still processing the deep pain in my chest after reading this. It brought me tears....

Just...I love you

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Maggie Jon's avatar

That's heartbreaking. For both of you 💔

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