My Army

I am sitting waiting for a friend while she gets a test done.  We had made plans for lunch, but as I’ve learned, the medical world does not move around your plans. You need to move around the medical world. She is a close friend and I know without a doubt she’d do this for me if needed. When things are good, your personal army may not be as noticeable. You may take it for granted that you are lucky to have good friends. You may think everyone is this lucky. It’s when you are in crisis that you realize who is truly there for you. It’s easy to be there when it’s fun and games. It’s the other times that give you perspective. 

I am lucky. I don’t think I took my army for granted, but I am sure there are times that I could have been more present, or more proactive. Just yesterday, my best friend Amy pointed out that I am not a plan maker. She pointed out that I’m so busy with my kids’ dance and baseball schedules and that I like being home with Kerry that I often ‘forget’ to make plans. I am a social person and I love being with my friends. But I am a ‘spur of the moment’ kind of person.  Apparently, that can be frustrating for some and then I often get left out of plans because I wasn’t  involved in the planning.   I guess I need to work on that. 

Kerry and I have such a strong support system around us, and our kids are building their army. Alesh and Zahra are still at camp, and are in the most supportive environment they can be in.  Alesh has a group of friends that will be there for her as an adult. Both girls have their dance family that envelop them in love and support. Zahra is so lucky to have such amazing friends at school and has been good friends with some of them since they were babies. And Zev has had the same best friends since birth. He is so excited to be going to high school with friends that he hasn’t been able to see for awhile.   Having an army of support is so important and my kids are building theirs. 

Our army is made up of both family and friends. We are lucky and we know that. I have spent the time Ive been off work cultivating friendships and taking care of my loved ones.  Even though they are taking care of me, I want to be there for them too. I want my kids to see that their parents have close relationships with friends and family and that they know that friends ARE family. 


Everyone needs an army, whether it’s a small one or a widespread one. We need people who would drop everything and rush to our sides - for good times and for bad times. I know that the same people will be there if I’m throwing a party as would be there with a shoulder to cry on. And I hope that they all know that I’m ready for them with both my party shoes and my shoulders. 

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