There are so many different chapters throughout the course of our lives that offer opportunities to learn life lessons. In the past year I have learned more about myself, life, faith and family than in my previous thirty- six years on earth and that has been a pretty fantastic thing.
As a counselor working with teens it's my job to guide, encourage and support. In the past twelve months I have realized that each of us, at different points in our lives, have to relinquish control and allow others to encourage, support and even guide when needed. If you're, like me, one of those who struggles with holding the reigns in life then it's likely that receiving or requesting assistance from others is both foreign and highly uncomfortable. But the truth is that when stubbornness overrides our own best interest what's often being withheld is joy that others can receive in extending themselves to those who could use a little extra goodness. In these past twelve months my eyes have been opened to the reality that the joy I receive in helping others is one that I have to allow others to have when the opportunity permits. Joy and encouragement can't be a one way street otherwise the richness is lost somewhere down the line. Don't stifle the goodness.
As a mom of a newborn I've had a whole lot of middle of the night feedings where I've sometimes struggled to maintain consciousness and other nights where my brain has had the ability to reflect a bit. As the little man with the softest little fingers and toes snuggles with me it feels as though time pauses a bit and, in reality, so much of what I allow to fluster me in every day life seems to fade to the way side. It's so easy to get caught up in the crap of life, its distractions and weight on things that really hold no value. I realize that there is only a short window of Jack's life that the little man's feet will fit in the palm of my hand. So with that in mind, how terribly important is it to tidy the house constantly, to pull in the most clients for the month or fixate on the fact that there's another crack in your car's windshield? Because stress will always be a factor in our life, but the moments that are ever so fleeting with the one's around us won't always be there. So with that, I am off to have lunch with my husband at our dining room table and there is really no where else I would rather be.
