believe in me, you are not alone

One of my incredibly gifted friends, Shari, recently wrote this

"sometimes it’s okay to lean on someone. It doesn’t make you weaker. It makes you stronger."

I'll admit something. I used to be afraid to ask for help. Afraid that it would make me seem weak, or stupid. Instead, I would keep everything completely trapped inside of me, waiting to explode at the smallest little trigger. And trust me, I've exploded multiple times. Many people reading this have not seen me in one of those states...but I could be so stressed out that I bawl my eyes out because I can't find my keys. It's not because I've lost my keys that I'm crying. It's because there are a zillion things going on in my mind that I cannot control, and it call comes out the second one more thing piles on. Luckily for me, I have the help I need. I've found a pretty strong support system in my family and a few close friends. I've learned, through time, that being able to say "hey, I really need you for this..." not only makes me stronger, but makes the outcome of the situation much more positive. Without my support system I would be nothing. Life is a daily, step by step process for me and for many others. I am so blessed to say that I can lean on people whom I trust when the road gets rocky.

The lesson in all of this is to make sure you are letting yourself lean on someone else. You don't always have to be the savior. You can fall apart sometimes, too. Just make sure you have someone there to help you pick up the pieces. How do you find those people? You'll know who they are. They are the ones who have never left your side, even in the worst of times. The ones who you can call at any time of day and say "I just need someone to talk too.." The ones who are always up for a sleepover or a movie night, who forgive you, who love you completely. For me, that happens to be my family. My sweet friends (you know who you are), the backups. The people who can make you laugh the hardest.

Speaking of laughter...I've always fully agreed laughter is the best medicine. I mean really, how can you not? Last night, I was blessed to see that cliche put into practice. In a living room sat four people. Four completely different people, in different stages of life. Yet, last night, we were bound together by love and laughter. All of our worries, problems, fears...they fell apart. Drifted into the air with our uncontrollable giggles. Most girls my age would probably think hanging out with my parents and an amazing "family friend" was totally lame on a Saturday night. But to me, it was perfect. It was necessary, and I hope to have many more nights just like that. It felt good to laugh. :)

I hope everyone has a beautiful week.