The Climb

And let us all pause and listen to the Miley Cyrus song, The Climb. I heard it on the radio twice this week. And I did NOT change the station. Cuz I rock to some Miley.

Anyway, I suppose that's why the title of this post popped into my head, and because it describes so well how I've felt over the last 10 days. ( ten days!! since my last post!! crazy pills!!). I'd say the first half of this month was rough, as in bottom of the barrel rough....but even at the bottom there, where its lonely and you walk around your block on a Sunday afternoon and you think, "Geez, no one cares about me or Ransom here!"  even down at the bottom there was light. And there were surprise dinner dates, and phone calls and little things that proved that earlier thought was a lie.  And while things are not easy (as in it isn't being handed to me on a platter)  it doesn't mean I can't get out there and find some Community.

It helped that my oldest, dearest friend Amy came into town for a few days- it helped that I've seen Brett a little more. Its helped that I've started going to a Women's Bible Study ( PWOC! WOOP WOOP) on Thursday mornings. Its helped that I've started meeting with an older woman once a week. It helped that I've decided to take Ransom to story time at least once a week. Its helped basically that I not sit around at home alone. With only a one and half year old to talk to. Not. good. for. anyone.

But, I cannot promise that such walks around the block will not happen again. Because, let me tell you I bet they will....I don't even know if loneliness can really BE avoided.  But I will embrace the fact that I hope it has made me more gracious and loving towards others. Because I feel that everyone ( yup! I'm going to make a giant sweeping generalization because I think its just THAT true.) is lonely or struggling at some point. And who's to say that I'm not the one to help them in that?!

So, I mentioned before that I'm doing a "Best things" status update every day on Facebook this year. And its taught me to be a lot more aware of the little things that make a day good. And you know that I've noticed thus far that its often the little nice things that strangers do...like the guys in the fire truck that turned on their lights for Ransom when we passed them on our run the other day....or the little old lady in Chick-fil-a who went and asked one of the works if Ransom could have a balloon that was hanging from the ceiling because she'd seen him pointing at it....I'm telling you people:  Those things made my day!
I need to also be more intentional about being kind to strangers not just people I know. People in my inner circle, people in my outer circles...and people that aren't in my circles at all! Here's to kindness and here's to the great help it brings to climbing out from the bottom of the barrel.