Ever Just Had One of "THOSE" Days?

It's been a day for sure - the kind of day that has all kinds of unexpected communications.

It started with the wonderful and rare opportunity to chat with a long time internet friend. The time we were able to spend together just wasn't enough and of course that meant all of the things we wanted to talk about weren't. The leftovers then crept into thoughts during the day of "did I remember to tell him", "oh geez, I forgot to ask about" and "hmmm, I wonder when the forces of the unverse will put us in the same place at the same time again?"

Then I got emails from other friends and family with whom I have not actively corresponded with for a couple of months. I'd been thinking about making time this weekend to get out some personal how ya doings. I guess others have had the same thought.

I even got a phone call from a sister for no reason whatsoever. She just thought she'd call to say hi. The return call turned into a 90 minute conversation until the cell phone battery died. Gotta love those kinds of conversations.

Ask anyone who knows me well - I don't do long distance relationships well. Heck, let's be honest, I don't do short distance relationships well either - not when I have to rely on email, electronic chat or long distance phone bills. If you're lucky you get the annual family letter and a package at your birthday and/or Christmas - sometimes you get something in between just cause.

So I started this blog. Part of it is self therapy. Come on, we're all adults here - well for the most part (hi, baby brother). Certainly we can admit that we blog for a purpose and usually it's to purge oneself of some thoughts good, bad or ugly - I'd call that therapy, wouldn't you? But I also started this blog as a way of keeping in touch with friends and family, letting them know what's on my mind from time to time, and not "butting in" when they are busy doing other things. It seems, however, that it's also made it, shall we say easier, for me to not write a letter, email or pick up the phone as often as I used to. Now it's more like "refer them to the blog" when there's something newsworthy and fill in the blanks here and there.

Then a day like today happens and I get reminded at how much love and support I have out there in the world. So I promise those of you who've been in contact - you'll get a response. A personal one at that. I won't promise to get better about keeping in touch - we do have to live with reality you know. But feel free to contribute to the inbox anytime. I'll remember how it feels when I have one of "THOSE" days and try to create one for you as well.

There Is An Upside

The last couple of posts have been a bit on the "bummer" side of life. But life hasn't always brought me thorns. Most days I do believe, in a sort of pollyannish way, that God will never give us more than we can handle. The "with his help" bit is rather implied - I'm sure a contract lawyer could have a field day with that promise... but regardless of your religious belief, it does seem to hold true: with the support of your friends you can get through anything. That doesn't mean you'll "get through it" and not be changed. After all, life is about change. But if we are willing to reach out and ask for help, generally we're going to find the support from without and the strength from within to endure another day.

I've been blessed in my life. Do I have the perfect family? No - by no means could we even begin to say that. But I do have a very good relationship with one of my sisers [we still mother each other] and I have a quasi relationship with my baby brother [let's face it, it's hard to be on the same page with a sibling who is young enough to be your son - he's 17 and I'm 40 - do the math]. I have a healing relationship with my father and feel fortunate in that because I know that very few adults have the chance to reconnect with parents who were absent during those early years. And then of course there are those extended family members who know the score and who have, themselves, survived the same things. They keep in touch and serve as a reminder that "it's not just me". I wouldn't trade my family... may not want to keep all of them, but hey! I guess we'll just have to make do.

I also have some wonderful friends. To this day people continue to ask if my best friend and I are sisters. We are! Sisters in spirit anyway. She's seen me in my most awful of moments and loves me still. I can only hope that all of you are fortunate enough to have a friend like that regardless if it's your sibling, spouse, partner or BFF. There are people I can count on across the globe to provide moral support in those difficult moments of life. People I've met in person, people I'd like to meet in person, and people I know I'll never meet. Sometimes these folks don't even realize the impact they have on the life of another and I go through cycles in acknowledging it [sometimes I forget those simple thank you's and othertimes I seem to go overboard with them].

There is more than enough love and support in my life to "get through" anything. I haven't always liked the paths I've travelled. It's taken a good deal of introspective dealings to realize that many of those paths were of my own doing [duh!] and could have been avoided. But would I be the me that I am today??

Today, I get to experience the upside of life. I get to be a mother, a friend, a fan, a supporter, a daughter, a sister, a niece, a granddaughter, an aunt. I get to love the people in my life and be loved by them. I get to help them through their dark (and happy) moments just as they've helped me.

See, life may not be perfect. But there is an upside.

Friendship Is a Gift in Itself

I ran across this quote from the wrapper of a piece of Dove chocolate and delighted in the appropriateness for this time of year. I've listened to adults and children naming off the Christmas and Valentine presents they've received, the many trinkets and splurges, the gifts to exchange (or regift), their favorite item, the monetary cost of their shopping. And somehow it all seems so hollow. I'm thankful this day, especially for the gift of friendship. You can never receive too much of this gift, nor can you exhaust it's supply while giving it. It's a treasure to be kept close to the heart. It's a gift to be shared with others around us. It's definately a gift to be returned and regifted. And best of all, it's priceless: No credit card bills in January!

Thank you to my friends who make life a precious journey. I only hope that I have returned all that I have recieved.