Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts

Monday, March 12, 2012

Balls of different sizes


We have all read on our email or heard of the story of the professor who was teaching his class on the importance of balancing the various parts of our lives.

He proceeded to fill an empty vessel of different sized balls. Each ball standing for something of importance in your life, our vessel equals our life. He spoke of which balls and in which order we fill our vessel will help keep our life fulfilled. Simply put, too much time at the bar on the way home to meet with small balls (relative strangers) will take away from the time with (supposedly) big balls - your family.


The concept of filling our lives with important things is not new or earth-shattering. But in reality, it can continue to elude us despite our best efforts.


We have all been in a relationship, so closely connected, so living-in-each other's-pocket that we thought it would never end. But life happens and directions can alter. So what do we make of the realization that our partner in this juggling game of balls has decreased the size of the ball with our name on it without our knowledge?


If our vessel has a big ball named "You", but in your vessel the ball name "Me" are not the same (relative) size, one of us is losing out! We will feel slighted, short changed and eventually not as important in the other person's life.


We automatically do this evaluation each time we pick up the phone or send an email to stay connected to someone. But if they seldom reciprocate, we will soon feel that our importance in their life has diminished.


Juggling is a skill. All our relationships are all colourful and circular. The ones we focus on will continue their dance in our lives, and some will bounce and roll away.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Hearts Day


May the love you receive today comfort you when you need it, be gentle when you need a hug, be firm when you need a push.
May it give you coffee in the middle of the afternoon, and a foot rub at the end of the day.
May the love you receive today make you feel special every moment and know that there is a port in any storm.
May it be the love that you deserve and sometimes forget to give yourself.
Enjoy your today.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Crackers - Crack-pot, Crack, Crack up

We are all somewhat cracked. Whether due to casual mishandling or by brutal force. Some cracks barely noticeable, some spackled over with heavy duty band-aids. We suture with work, working-out, drown our sorrows, use crack, and add initials after our names on our business cards.

We race, we weave, we meet in staff rooms, we like each other, we can't tolerate each other, we try to be polite. We pretend, we deny, we shop only at Sunterra, we avoid big green boxes with massive parking lots.

Who the heck are we?

If we are fortunate, we have friends, and we recognize each other's cracks. Friends overlook, they share remedies, they hand you a safe band-aid when you need it. Because our cracks makes us real. As we grow, our fragility makes us gentle and aware of others.

And by the time Friday arrives, many crack-pots have crossed our path. Finally, you can eat pizza, watch a movie and crack up...together. I am grateful for TAG Meetings. Thank you T. & A. for your time, your consistency and for knowing my flaws and loving me anyway.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Today I am Brave Enough

Several months ago, I wrote the piece below. It is accurate. It has taken months for me to be able to open my heart and share this. I write today to give thanks to all those who surrounded my daughter and myself, who comforted and held us up in thought and prayer and whispered in our ears when we needed it most.

We celebrated an early Christmas present this year, my child is 6 months cancer-free. I thank all of you who stood beside us through this journey, and did not retreat because of your own fears.

April 19th
Today I became the Mom of a child with cancer
Today my child faced her mortality
with the few words spoken by a family doctor
Today my child cried in fear
Today I cannot cry
I wrap myself in a shawl of solitude
I speak quietly, I pray for courage
I am in slow motion, in drowning waters
I plan, then I pray some more.

Today I will remember forever
Then Day 1 will be done
and Tomorrow will be different.