Sometimes...

There are always those days when you feel like it won't be over soon enough.  The death of a loved one, a scary diagnosis, a horrible break-up, the loss of a job, a betrayal or deception...my list could go on and on.  The first thing we usually do is question WHY??  And often times we don't hear the answers or perhaps we simply can't wrap our heads around them.  And that is when we feel alone or abandoned.

These low points seem to be the hardest ones for us to get through.  The joy filled moments seem to fly by.  We can't hang on to them long enough.  On the other hand, these patches of heartbreak or fear seem to linger...and linger...and linger.

Some things to remember:

We are never alone. Whether you are relying on your faith, your family or the kindness of strangers, there is always someone there.

The fire department is family.  I had to pick my FF at the end of a HORRIBLE day filled with bad news, broken pieces and stitches - because he, too, needed at trip to the ER and would be off work for a bit.  His BC reminded me that if I needed anything, whether he was on duty or not, to please call.

People are not mind readers.  It makes for cool story lines  but not so practical in the real world.  Speak up.  Tell people what you need.  A hug, a distraction from the issue at hand, a prayer, some time...

Even though we feel as though we are so far down, we can't see up, there is still an 'up'.  Sometimes that means you have to get up off your butt in the pit of despair and climb on out.  Sometimes it means you have to agree to take the hand that is reaching out to you.  Sometimes is means allowing yourself to smile and enjoy the sunshine.  There are so many things (within ourselves and from the world around us) that keep us feeling the doom and gloom.

So, allow yourself to cry, to grieve to mourn.  But then move on...and allow yourself to do so.  Make the changes that you can make.  Figure out how you are going to deal with those you can't.  Seek out the people best equipped to get you through this crisis. Most importantly, accept love.  Love from your friends and family, love from you neighbors and co-workers, from complete strangers with and warm smile and most importantly, love from yourself.  

Through all of this, know you are not alone.  If you need something, ask and accept.  When you feel so down, you don't know where to turn, look for the beauty that surrounds you.  Sometimes it is right in front of us, but we can't see it because we are looking too far down the road.

Love your FFs and muppets.  Find joy in them when the rest of your world seems to be crumbling down around you.  Seek out help, love and support when you need it.  Don't be afraid to just ask.  Smile...just because you made it another day.

Peace...Love...Hope...