Life. It's a kicker.

So my last post was in January.  JANUARY!  Yeah.  Life just plain ol' kicked me in the butt.  I thought I had a handle on things, and then I didn't.  I don't know what it was.  A bunch of little stuff, and some big stuff, that just flat out knocked me down and held me there.  It does that sometimes, just kicks while you're down. You know it does, because it does it to all of us.  And it never stops.  If all we looked at are the kicks life delivers, hell, we'd live on the floor.  And I have been on the floor the last few months.  Sprawled.  Flat on my back.  Unable to move or lift my head.    I lost my focus, and could only see the stuff life was throwing at me.  All I've been doing is trying to get through it.  Waiting for it to end so that I could stagger to my feet.  But life doesn't give up, and it doesn't stop kicking.  So we need to find a way to get on our feet despite the kicks and the uppercuts and the jabs flying our way.  And it's hard. And I don't think we can do it alone.  That's where you come in, and where I come in.  We need each other.  Really need each other.  To cheer each other on, give a push here, or a tug there.  And build each other up.  Encourage.  Inspire.  Relate.

Someone did that for me last week.  Gave me the push I needed.  The kind but strong push that gets you moving without adding to the bruises you're nursing. And the results were beautiful.

The pictures are below. I think you'll agree it was worth it.

Other friends have gone out of their way to make sure I know they are there for me, with a hug and a kind word and a heart that understands.  And others have kicked me out of the room where I cling to the never-ending list of to-do's and lose myself in the impossible task of trying to do it all.  They kindly but firmly push me out the door and give me an opportunity to take a moment to breathe and get back up on my feet.  I can't do life alone, and neither can you.

So thank-you, thank-you, thank-you to the friends who have stuck by me, and given me the push and the shove and the hug and the shoulder.  I've needed it all, and I love you for it.  I'm here to do the same for you.  And if we can continue to be the gentle reminder to each other of what's important, and come alongside with a shoulder, or a hand or a word of encouragement, or a gentle shove in the right direction, then we are going to get through this life together,  stronger and better than we ever could alone.

To see higher resolution images of these photographs and others taken that morning, click this link.