Family Isnt Always Blood.

The other day I was told something that made my heart swell with pride, and eyes fill with tears. It was part painful and part joyful. It made me both happy and sad. I was told I had touched someone's life so profoundly, that its impact was making the person want to make drastic changes in their life that are for the better. I was reminded then, about the ripples in the bucket after a pebble being tossed in. I was reminded how no matter how small you think you might impact a life, sometimes the ripple was huge.
I met a person a year ago, and after just a short time of talking with him, I realized that he had the potential to be better than what he was being. That inside of him was a great and kind man. After just a few short hours spent talking to him about the cards life had dealt him, I realized that he'd never had some of the things most of us take for granted. Family, and the love of a family. He'd never had the love of a mother, or the strength of a father. At just twenty-nine years old, he'd had made his own way through life, never having anyone to show him the correct path or how to even get on it. People had come and gone in his life, never staying for longer than what they could get out of him, or past him finding trouble. They never stopped to give him a hand up, instead they always threw their hands up when he wasn't what they wanted him to be.
I told him, not long after meeting him, that I was adopting him. That forever he'd always be a part of my family, and that it didn't matter what time of the night, my door was always as open as my fridge was. That I'd always try to help him if it was possible for me to do so. I took up for him in times I shouldn't have. Went toe to toe with people who felt I should turn my back and be done with him. But I couldn't. I'd made a promise.
A few days ago, out of the blue, during a conversation, he told me that until my husband and I had opened our door to him, and showed him how family and the love of that family was like, he'd never really truly understood it. And, from the love and kindness we'd given him, he had more love for us than he'd ever had for anyone. So much love, that he wanted to make changes in his life that were drastic. He said he wanted to show the world the man I'd always seen in him but the one he'd never been able to see in himself. That he finally understood all I'd been saying in the many long conversations we'd had over the past year.
I never expected that I'd touched him in the way he said. I never expected him to confide in me his honest and true feelings like that. My only hope in the past year was that he'd have a safe space to call his own, and he'd understand that it was given to him to use as he needed, though to not be abused. It was my only intention to just be that one person that showed him some light. I didn't think I'd have such an impact on him.
My love and fondness for him has only grown since meeting him. I consider him part of my close family. Closer than a best friend. A younger brother. I'd move mountains for him so long as he was trying to move them too. I'd walk miles to make sure he had what he needed so long as he was sharing the journey. I've never once regretted my decisions for standing up for him or standing against others for him. I'd do it over and over again.
I hope someday that he too will touch a life like I've touched his, and make an impact without knowing it. I hope that someday the man I see coming out of him will make his mark on another life and truly understand the gift he gave me with his spilled heart.