The moment wasn’t dramatic. It didn’t arrive with fanfare or some cinematic swell. It was just a text from Tiina — a simple thank‑you for watching the kids so she and Brian could travel. But the way it landed in me said more than the words on the screen.
Because with them, it’s never just logistics. It’s never “thanks for the favor.” It’s this deeper, steadier thing: you showed up, and that made our life work this weekend. And that’s the kind of gratitude that feels like love — not because it’s big, but because it’s accurate.
Being with their family has always felt like stepping into Moominvalley. Not the sanitized version, but the real emotional ecosystem of it: chosen family, gentle acceptance, and a cast of characters who are all a little quirky in their own ways. No one has to perform. No one has to be the “right” shape. Everyone just… is. And that’s enough.
In that world, I’m Moomintroll. Sensitive, dreamy, a little soft around the edges. I aspire to the groundedness of Moominmamma, but the truth is I move through the world with my heart out front. And somehow, in this family, that’s not a liability. It’s part of the landscape. They don’t just tolerate my quirks — they fold them in.
So when Tiina texted me, it wasn’t just appreciation. It was recognition. It was her saying, without needing to say it outright, you’re part of this place. You matter here. You make things possible.
And that’s what love feels like to me: not grand gestures, but the quiet moments where someone sees who you are — the dreamer, the helper, the soft-hearted one — and says, “Yes. Stay. We like you exactly like this.”
Scored by Copilot. Conducted by Leslie Lanagan.
Stories That Are All True 