Jim is my brother from another mother. We met just after I moved to Seattle over 40 years ago. We’ve been through a lot of life together: friendship, marriages, divorces, health issues, and parenting.

After my daughter was born, Jim became her favorite ‘uncle’. Along with his husband, Rachel would have play dates with them and sleepovers. It was especially helpful to me when she was young, and I was a single parent.

When my daughter was 5 or so, Jim and his husband adopted a baby boy. Then we shared the joys and challenges of parenthood. Eric grew and learned to walk and talk. Rachel was a bit of a big sister to him. We were a chosen family helping each other. Times were good and times were stressful, and we had each other to lean on.

After a particularly hard day, Jim told me that Eric had said when asked about his day,” It’s a much!”. It was the perfect way to describe how a day can be way more than we want it to be. Too many things to do, too much work or cooking or arguments, or burdens.

Eric is in his 30s now and sometimes when Jim and I talk and one of us has had a tough time, the other says – yes, It’s a much! We know it will pass but sharing how it is in the moment is a gift only and brother and sister could give each other. Again, we are not alone.