As a little girl, one of my favorite places to go on a hot summer afternoon was an ice cream shop called Dairy Queen. There happened to be one located right at the corner of my long street and when my parents would surprise me with a trip, I would be full of excitement. Although I would take the time to read over the menu, I already knew that it would come down to one of three items; a Butterfinger Blizzard, Cherry Dipped Cone, or a Banana Split with NO bananas. All were very satisfying in their own way, but I was always asked whenever I ordered the banana split with no bananas, "Why don’t you want any bananas?" My simple response was, I was allergic. The more extensive response would have been that whenever I ate bananas my stomach would have a terrible reaction that left me scrunched up in a ball in the corner someplace, crying profusely. Doctors couldn't even explain what was going on with me, so they just told me stay away.
So why did I get the banana split instead of a sundae of some sort? Simple. The banana split was the only item on the menu that allowed me to have three scoops of ice cream and three different toppings all in one purchase. Occasionally, I missed the idea of having a banana in my banana split, but it wasn’t because I had ever had it. It was more so because everyone made it seem like I was ‘missing out on something.' Outside of that, I loved my banana split with no banana because it was special and created just for me.
This reminds me so much of a blended family. It is easy to get distracted when looking at what should be a "normal family." Blended family stories differ so much from the stories of a traditional family, and that's okay. I have had to remind myself on many occasions that this is the journey God has given me to walk, and I can’t compare my journey with anyone else’s. I have learned to love what makes my family special and unique. Our areas of growth and imperfections create an irreplaceable bond between us all. Although it’s not the lifestyle that most of us planned to live when we were a child, it’s one that has been hand selected and knitted together specifically for us. It’s our special story. So with Gods leading and direction, let’s take our banana split no banana families and create something amazing as we walk through this journey together.
- Rachel Scott
Originally posted on Better Than Blended
