The Diary of Joy

Learning to Compromise

9. Joy, the year of the Phoenix

Dear Angel,

Things are changing so quickly in my family that I am finding it difficult to keep up. Maybe that is a good thing, but I am not a big supporter of change.

Change can be scary because it's so new and different. For me, it always takes some time to adjust to the shifting nature of life, but I am doing my best to keep up with the changes.

Anyway, first of all, the biggest positive change that has been happening is that mom looks happier.

I mean, don't get me wrong, she was always happy, but there was this sadness deep in her eyes that we could see most of the time even though she tried to hide it. I've always wondered what put that sadness in her eyes, and now I know.

It was her parents who put that deeper than life sorrow in her heart by rejecting her, but more importantly, by refusing to accept us. That knowledge makes me both mad and happy at the same time.

I am mad that parents decided to consciously bring so much pain to their child, but I am happy that I finally know how to help mom go past pain and be completely happy. Still, I am not sure if this solution will be the best one for our future.

What if my grandparents decide that we are not good after all? What if they turn around and hurt her again?

The problem is that it is not my decision to make. Mom has already decided to give them a second chance, and if that's what's making her so much more content these days, then I will accept it. Still, I will be cautious in her place.

I will keep a close eye on my grandparents for any sign of abandonment and try to save my mother from it. If she can't be careful, I can.

Dad also seems happier. Honestly, it feels as if dad is mom's mirror. If she is happy, he is happy. If she is shining from joy, the same joy shines in his eyes as well. It's really interesting to see how truly connected they are.

I know for a fact that dad doesn't like grandfather and grandmother, but he puts that aside so that he could be happy for mom. It's simply fascinating.

Still, I can see that he is also very cautious around them, the same as me. I think we have the same idea in mind, any sign of rejection, and we pull mom out of there before her heart could be broken again.

Yet, so far, everything has gone more or less well. I mean, as well as it can go having in mind our complicated situation.

We have been to visit my grandparents, all of us, and that was a momentous occasion. I don't think mom has been back to her childhood home in years, and it was clear that she had missed it.

Not missed living there, she hasn't lived there for a long time but visiting old memories, I guess. It's always nice to feel welcome in your parent's home.

Honestly, at first it was a bit strange since neither one of us knew what to say, how to behave, but soon enough mom changed that. After all, she is an awesome person who tries to have a good relationship with everyone.

She started remembering things she had done as a child, and grandfather immediately joined her musings, creating quite a comfortable atmosphere of pleasant memories and funny stories.

After some time, grandmother joined in as well, and it was really fun to hear about mom's mischief, for a change. It's nice to know that our parents were once children as well.

The telling soon shifted to mom telling grandmother and grandfather about Mischief's misadventures and all the times she gave us all a good scare.

At first, they approached the topic cautiously, but soon enough, we were all laughing at some of the crazy things Mischief and the rest of us did, and trust me there are a lot of different stories to choose from.

Before long, we were all laughing out loud, and at one point tears streamed down my face from laughing too hard.

If this is how it feels to have fairy grandparents than I am looking forward to it, but still I don't want to get ahead of myself. After all, they might change their minds about us tomorrow, and where would that leave us?

Well, it would leave me broken-hearted and angry, but let's save that for when and if it happens. For now, I just want to say that they are trying, and that is something.

In turn, my whole family is trying hard to forgive and forget. However, that's not always an easy thing to do, especially when some not so nice words leave grandmother's mouth. But if I am being honest she is not the only one.

Mischief and Chatterbox have also made a few of those uncomfortable comments that leave everyone quiet for a while, not knowing how to approach the situation.

The important thing is that we are all trying our best and hopefully that is enough.

What we need to defeat these misjudgments we have about each other is love and honesty. If you believe my parents, those two things can defeat all obstacles.

I didn't used to believe in that, but now I am not so sure. Looking at the complete turn that the grandparents made, I can't help but wonder if my parents were right.

Is love and honestly all we need in life?

Well, I guess we shall see how the situation develops, but I hope from the bottom of my heart that everything will be okay. I hope that we will be able to live like one big happy family.

Maybe they can even meet grandpa and grandma!

Okay, I admit that might be a bit too much to ask of my traditional grandparents but yet a fairy-elf hybrid can hope, can't she?

Anyway, things are improving, and I hope they keep on the right track because I want us all to be happy, even grandmother and grandfather.

Oh, would you look at the time, I better go. If I don't hide you soon enough, one of my nosy siblings (read Mischief) might find you, and I don't want them to know what I am thinking.

Well, not exactly what I am thinking and writing because I am sure there are a few things in here that they would never be able to understand. So, let's keep all that our little secret.

Love always,

Joy