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| The boys, opening a care package from Emily and Neil on Saturday. |
Sometimes, I lose my focus and find myself dwelling on people in my life that strive to bring me down. People who hurt me for no other reason than the fact that they themselves are horribly insecure and unhappy. I think we all can get down about things like that from time to time. Luckily, it is an infrequent occurrence for me, and even better still - - I really have very few people like that in my life. Thank goodness, I am finally at a point where I am realizing that you give negative people power when you feed into their negativity. It is a choice, my friends.
The flip side to this is that I am very, very blessed indeed. My family is. This has been proven to me, time and again by the angels in our life. People I can't even believe we are lucky enough to know and love. This love has been shown to me, for no particular reason, and during times when we are needing it the most.
When I was growing up in Topsham, I had a neighbor on Barrows Drive named Emily. We rode the same bus to school together. Sometimes we played together after school. Then came junior high and high school, and I'm sure we still rode the same bus and passed each other in the hall, but I don't really have memories of that. I have not seen her in person in over twenty years, and probably haven't had a face-to-face conversation with her in well over thirty.
Fast-forward to the age of Facebook, where Emily and I connected, and then reconnected. She, along with her husband Neil, blessed the boys and I with such kind words and gestures while Steve was in Iraq. They took particular interest in the boys. Emily told me once in an email, that "everyone deserves to have someone admire them from afar, just for being who they are." I cannot begin to tell you what this has meant to me, and what it has meant to the boys. They talk about Emily and Neil on a regular basis, like they are old friends -- I just love it. I remember one time when Griffin said, from the back seat of the truck, out of the blue, "Mom, Emily and Neil really love me."
I believe certain people come into our lives (or back into our lives) for specific reasons. Emily and Neil have shown me that love and kindness comes in many forms, and to have that in your life is a true blessing. We love you, Emily and Neil!
6 comments:
Heather, this brought tears to my eyes - in particular the comment from Emily about how everyone deserves to be admired from afar. How correct. Yet so poignant too. The boys look delighted to receive their care package. They are loved indeed :)
What a nice post - this brought tears to my eyes too. Thank you Emily and Neil for being such kind people.
My goodness! I just arrived in upper NY for a week-long training on statistics. Alone. Unsure. Missing home. And, then I see this post. It has been my sincere pleasure to reconnect with you and to "meet" your boys from afar. I can't say how much pleasure it brings Neil and me to make whatever small contribution we can to the wonderful life that you have created for yourselves and your children. We admire you in more ways than we can count. xo Emily
P.S. In truth, I'm pretty sure it was Neil who originally said that everyone deserves to be admired just for being who they are...
Heather, I'm going to skip over the bulk of the post about how wonderful Emily and Neil are. They are wonderful.
I commend you for knowing when people are negative and knowing you can choose to spend less time with them. I've been in that place and it's no fun. Big hugs from afar.
I agree, though I have been there too, and it hurts....but you are right. I feel they are hurting and need to have others hurt for whatever reason...they must surely be unhappy...Friends who know us see otherwise they tell me and family is the best!
Take care,
Susie
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