My niece gave me a gift.  It said this, “only an aunt can hug like a mother and share laughter like a friend.”

My aunts were from Scotland, born in 1895 and 1904.  They had no children and loved their nieces and nephews so much; an essential part of their clan, distance from them was not an option.  I felt special to them; their love was palpable even though they never said this word.  They paid attention to us, attended to us, seemed fascinated by us.

My nieces fascinate me.  I adore them and verbalize my love and hope they sense how much I want to always hug them like a mother and laugh with them like a friend.