A shining star in a very big, very wonderful family.
My niece Juliet
Juliet is the oldest of the three girls Liz had many years after Shannon and Michelle were born. From the beginning, there has always been something special about her. She is incredibly beautiful and talented, but what impresses me most is simply the person she is. Anyone who spends time with Juliet quickly sees it. She has warmth, intelligence, and a genuine goodness that are hard to miss.
She is one of those people who could probably choose almost any direction in life and succeed. I have no doubt she could climb the corporate ladder if that were what she wanted. But I am grateful that she seems to understand something I have spent much of my own life believing: success does not have to mean spending your whole life working simply to accumulate a bigger house, more toys, expensive vehicles, or a lavish lifestyle.
Juliet in a wonderfully bright close-up, with one of the younger girls tucked into the background.Juliet wrapped in a happy hug — one of those simple family photos that says everything.The girls packed together and smiling, the way cousins and sisters seem to do best.
A different measure of a good life
Some people are happiest building careers and chasing the next promotion. There is nothing wrong with that. But some of us are wired differently. We would rather have time — time with family, time with friends, time outdoors, and time doing the things that make us feel alive.
I see some of that same spirit in Juliet. She seems to value the people around her and the life she is actually living, rather than some imaginary finish line she is supposed to be racing toward. I hope she never loses that.
Two little girls dressed up beautifully for a family occasion.A slide full of smiles — childhood, cousins, sisters, and summer all in one photo.Three little girls all dressed up and standing still just long enough for the camera.A small-kid dinner scene — food, cups, bibs, and the everyday family chaos that becomes precious later.On the porch with the girls, family, and a very patient spotted dog.
The older I get, the more certain I am that the ordinary family days were never ordinary at all.
Growing up together
Our family was incredibly lucky. We spent so much time together while everyone was growing up — summers at Jody and Alan's camp on Bare Hill Pond, holidays, Christmases, visits with my mom and dad, meals, beaches, campfires, and countless afternoons when nobody was trying to create a special memory. We were simply together.
Looking through these photographs now, that is what strikes me. The girls laughing in leaves. Sitting on stairs. Wearing dresses. Playing at the beach. Squeezing into a photograph with sisters and cousins. At the time, somebody just picked up a camera. Years later, those photographs have become little windows into some of the best days of our lives.
Beach girls in big hats — a perfect summer memory.The girls on the stairs with Shannon — a beautiful family moment.Leaf-raking quickly turned into leaf-throwing, which is exactly how it should be.A funny face moment by the benches — because not every family photo needs to be serious.Four little girls dressed up for a special family occasion.Shannon with the girls on the stairs — another warm family snapshot from those years.
Family is the real history
I have traveled all over, climbed mountains, paddled rivers, and had more adventures than I ever expected. But family memories live in a different place. They are not accomplishments. They are part of who we are.
Watching nieces and nephews grow up has been one of the great gifts of my life. I think I have fourteen of them so far, and I have been blessed with an amazing bunch. Each one is completely different. Each one has brought something wonderful into the family.
A second silly bench moment, with Juliet looking amused by the whole performance.The girls in the leaves, grinning like the yard work has gone exactly according to plan.A quiet porch photo of the three girls, with the woods glowing behind them.Liz at the beach with the girls — one of those sunny family photos that feels timeless.The early years: little ones gathered around a big present and a room full of family.
A shining star
Juliet is definitely one of the shining stars among them. Not because of a job title, a salary, or anything she could put on a résumé. She shines because of who she is.
She is talented, beautiful, bright, and capable of doing almost anything she chooses. More importantly, she is the kind of person people are simply happy to be around. That is a far rarer gift than most of the things the world tells us to chase.
I am incredibly proud of her, and incredibly grateful that I got to be there for so many of these years and so many of these memories.
Three tiny faces from the early years — the family story still just getting started.Playground time with Tim, Shannon, and the girls — another outdoor family memory.Shannon and the girls on the stairs, all squeezed together in the best family-photo way.With Grandpa — one of those family photos that becomes more meaningful every year.
Juliet, never underestimate how much joy you have brought into this family. You have always been, and will always be, one of our shining stars.
