I’m So Proud of You

Heavenly Father sees us for who we are, His children. And He is proud of us each for our own strengths and accomplishments.

If you knew you were going to die soon, what would you want your family to know?

In a popular song by The Avett Brothers, the lead singer explains that if he were to die, he wouldn’t want his family members to focus too much on dividing out his possessions. Rather, he would want them to remember how much he loves them:

If I get murdered in the city
Go read the letter in my desk
Don't worry with all my belongings
But pay attention to the list

Make sure my sister knows I loved her
Make sure my mother knows the same
Always remember, there was nothing worth sharing
Like the love that let us share our name

(Murder in the City, 2008)

Aren’t these inward thoughts beautiful? I love the poetic way that he expresses appreciation for his family: there is nothing that compares to the love that comes from sharing a last name—or in other words, from being part of the same family.

The majority of the song is sung by only one of the brothers, but this last stanza is sung by two voices in a lovely harmony (by the two namesakes of the band, Scott Avett and Seth Avett), underscoring the most important message. And it dually demonstrates (1) harmony in musical form and (2) harmony between the family members. After a few instrumental measures, the singers fervently repeat the last two lines once more, while the guitar stops several times to add emphasis:

Always remember, there was nothing worth sharing
Like the love that let us share our name

While the Avett brothers here express the harmony and joy that can come from a united family, the lead singer acknowledges earlier in the song that their relationship wasn’t always without trouble. In one section, he reveals some private thoughts about the way he compares himself to his brother, and wonders whether his parents loved one of them more than the other:

A tear fell from my father's eyes
I wondered what my dad would say
He said I love you and I'm proud of you both
in so many different ways.

Heavenly Father sees us this same way. He doesn’t compare us to our brothers and sisters. He sees us for who we are, His children. And He is proud of us each for our own strengths and accomplishments.

This stanza always brings my memory back to the day that I left on my mission to California. I was in the airport early in the morning, accompanied only by my mother. As I gave my momma a final hug before walking through the gate, she said to me the most tender words which I will never forget throughout the eternities:

“I’m so proud of you."

Then I walked onto the ramp, holding back tears, as I left to spend the next two years separated from my family.

He said I love you and I'm proud of you both
in so many different ways.

I can’t pretend that I’ve been the best family member. I have my fair share of character flaws that make me irritable, judgmental, and impatient. But “God gave us families to help us become who He wants us to be,”¹ so whatever family we’ve been given, we ought to love them the best that we can.

My hope is that we may sing the song of life in harmony with our families. We all have different voices to blend, different strengths, accomplishments, and characteristics. But regardless of where our talents lie, God loves all of His children, and if we do our best to love our families and those around us, at the last day, He will welcome us back at the heavenly airport with outstretched arms.

Then, with a hug, He might whisper in our ears,

“I’m so proud of you."

1. The Family Is of God, Matthew Neeley, 2008