Blessings

I have a friend, who took me in and made me feel welcome, as an older mom seeing her last child off to high school. I met her while we were chaperons for one of the many activities the High School Chorale was engaged in my son's freshman year. She has quite the sharp, sarcastic sense of humor, she's the one who mumbles something obnoxiously funny under her breath while someone of authority is speaking. Oh you want so badly to chuckle out loud, and you must restrain yourself ..you know the type. Well, I adore her.

Last year she wasn't feeling her best, and she is a powerhouse, take charge and plow through, type of gal. I substituted in her classroom several times for her last year ( even though first grade is really not my thing..oh my), as well as co-chaired a fund raiser for our PATS Choir group to help her out. It was a bit of a messy year, as they can sometimes be, and she felt like a failure. She grumbled a lot about her health issues, being tired, low fever, swelling of the neck, and the doctors could find nothing wrong with her.
She forged ahead in her usual fashion, all the while feeling like a complaining menopausal female.

After additional symptoms reared their ugly head, my friend changed doctors, and headed to the Big City and UCLA to look for help. She was diagnosed rather quickly with, lymphoma. Her daughter is my son's age and they are friends, her other three kids are close to the age of my own.

This hits close to home, but nothing moves you away from your own set of circumstances than a friend in need. I say all of this to say a couple of things. We are never more centered than when we serve our fellow man, reach inside ourselves and know that we are part of the BIGGER picture in this world. When we pick up the load and carry it for our brother or sister we are doing what we are here to do.

It's not the material things of this earth that make us successful as human beings, but recognizing the needs of others in pain ( any kind of pain ) and doing what we can to lighten the load and lift a spirit. It's doing our part, no matter how small or large that counts.

She has blessed me in so many ways and she continues to do as she allows me to give a little back. I see her healed, strong, and happy....only positive thoughts going her way....I love you Shelly.