Summer strife

A friend of mine popped round last night on her way home from work.  She had had a frustrating day at work and no doubt that was made worse by the heat of the day; the fact she’d have to travel a long way that day and, perhaps most important of all, she was expecting her first grandchild.  Her daughter in law was in exactly the right place having been taken in to hospital to be induced.  

And this is real life isn’t it?  Personal and family pressures, day to day things that just happen, things over which we have no control at all like the weather.  And what about me?  Well I’ve had some health challenges lately and yesterday I wasn’t feeling all that bright.  I’d slept all day and it would have been really easy for me to have asked her not to visit.  But I didn’t.  And I’m so glad I didn’t.  We listened to each other’s account of our days, shared our ups and downs and plans and then we focussed on what next.  It’s so important on those days when life seems to rugby tackle you just when you were trying to do other things to remind yourself where you are going, not how far off course you feel like you’ve just been knocked!  So we reminded each other of our goals, our hopes and our plans.  We’ve got this, we each said. It’s OK and it’s worth it.  And as she was leaving I realised how much better I felt, just because she’d visited.  So today I’d like you to remember those people in your life.  The ones who make you feel better, just by spending time with them.  And make yourself a promise – if not today then as soon as you can, go and spend time with them.  Enjoy their company.  Feel better.

They are part of your team and it’s OK to call on them when you’re having a tough day – whatever the reason for the day being a tough one.  It doesn’t matter. 

I’ll leave you with these lovely, anonymously written, words...

“Sometimes we just need someone to be there for us. Not to fix anything or do anything in particular, simply so that we can feel we are supported and cared for during the hard times.”