I just had four keys made for myself and my three bridesmaids, each with a word to remind us of what we have, what we have overcome, and what we need to work through.
My first bridesmaid, Ashley R., is a young woman just realizing who she is an what her life's path is. The word I chose for her is "dream".
My second bridesmaid, Amelie, is my best friend and someone who has difficulty letting others in due to life's cruel nature. For her, I chose "trust".
My maid of honor is my sister, Ashley P. She overcame ulcerative colitis last year. For those who do not know what ulcerative colitis is, it is a disease in which the white blood cells attack the large intestine, thinking there is an infection that doesn't exist. When this happens, ulcers develop and destroy the large intestine. My sister had to have her entire large intestine removed and a synthetic pouch made to where she could have a semi-normal digestive system and not have an ileostomy bag. She was horribly sick for two years before her surgeries, and yet never lost hope. For my sister, I chose "strength."
Lastly, I chose the word "breathe" for myself. I suffer from extreme anxiety with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and this is a word I say to myself frequently when overcoming panic attacks and OCD routines. One day, I hope to have worked through my issues enough to be able to pass on the reminder to someone else like me.
-Samantha
