We're
having a get-together this weekend to share our good news about
hubby's new job with the friends who have been our support system over the
past year. It got me to thinking, some people have gone above and
beyond to help us, but sometimes it's just the little things that get
you from day to day, that really blow my mind. And sometimes your
friends don't even know they did it!
So,
I have all these images from the past year flashing through my mind.
No names, and in no particular order of importance, but the folks
mentioned know who they are, and I thank you.
My
tiny 70+-year-old neighbor walking across the street with a tower of
items for our garage sale, and she and I (the shortest in the bunch)
tipping over a huge rack of clothes—ROFL!
Our
other neighbor from whom donated items kept appearing in the carport,
and who backed his car down our street to help us pack up during a
sudden rainstorm when we were in the middle of our garage sale, and
is generally just always around when we're in crisis, and whose life
is a demonstration of his faith. :-)
The friend I can call at any time, day or night, and she'll tell me
what's wrong with my car, who loves my daughter as much as I do and
opens her home to Jen, working at my side day after day reassuring me
constantly, “It's gonna work!” and keeping me fed when I forgot
to eat, and bringing food to my family after my dad died, including
an awesome jumbalaya we all fought over.
My
crazy artist friend who tells me, “You miss everything,” because
he is trying so hard not to let everybody see his kind heart, drives
me crazy sometimes because he is so serious, is reluctantly accepting
of face squishes and bald head rubs, but for some reason, is always
there when you least expect it with a hug, a funny, or help.
The
artist friend who came to my dad's funeral, in the pouring rain, to
help me feel better.
The friend who came running the night I broke my arm and sat for me for
hours in the ER, for always being there, for her hugs when my dad died, and for always always understanding my
mother/daughter issues.
Running
into my friend at the eagle's nest and receiving the beautiful mosaic
of our Lucky Dawg she created, which is now a permanent part of my
life, where I can pet him every single day of the rest of my life.
The
friend who showed up (uncalled) to provide us with more hangers after
we ran out, lets me roam her flower shop taking gorgeous pictures
whenever the mood hits me, sent me a doggy bone commemorative stone
after Lucky Dawg died, picks up on-sale margueritas for us, and
created not one but THREE beautiful arrangements for my
father's funeral on a day's notice... and it was a Sunday! They were
absolutely beautiful, and I will always save the ribbons she created.
All
those strangers who came to my house and donated to total strangers
(us) just to help out another human.
The
boss who tolerated me through the property tax issues and let me keep
my part-time job, and picked us up in Huntsville after we got
stranded and could not for the life of her figure out why we were
laughing so hard! Have a great night!
The
friend from high school (which was 30+ years ago), who sent me the
sweetest note after my breast biopsy, just because she cared.
My
friends in Houston, people I've known twenty years or more and who I
never get to see as much as I'd like, buying raffle tickets for our
garage sale, buying jeans long distance and paying their own postage,
and supporting us completely emotionally without judgment or
criticism. All they ever asked me was, “What can I do?” Love like
that is priceless.
The
friend who took Jen to the movies and out to eat, and treated us to
free guacamole (my favorite food, even though she made Jen a
guacamole fan and now I have to fight her for it), brought us stacks
and stacks of newspapers and bottled water for our sale, saved my
Christmas present till after the first of the year, carrying it in
her car all that time for me until we could get together then
surprising me with it, who fed my family fried chicken after my dad
died, carried photos to a sale in Houston to help me raise money for
Christmas, and has just been there for everything.
The
friend whose daughter my daughter calls her “BFF” who gave of
herself openly and without hesitation to someone she barely knew just because another friend asked her to, and who tried to teach me just to
“roll with it,” a very difficult lesson for me!
The
man who tried to hire me as a 911 dispatcher, who cried with me when
I was disqualified, and who kept checking on me for months afterward
to see if I'd found another job.
The
friend who held me and hugged me when a stranger handed me $200 and
walked away before I could even say thank you, who shares my bizarre
artistic bent, who was there the night of my dad's visitation, and
who loves clocks. I never see a clock face without thinking of her
kindness to me during a horribly stressful time.
The
birding friend who never ever minds when I text him to figure out
what I'm looking at, teaches me something new every time we talk, who gave me a new field guide when he knew I couldn't buy one, and shows up when I least expect it, just to say
hey.
The
“planing” friend who asks, every time he sees me, how my ribs
feel, and if they're better AND let me wear his flight goggles. It
was an incredible moment, feeling like I could fly.
The
photography friend who ALWAYS outshoots me, tells me when my tail
light's out (who knew it makes the blinker hyperactive? Not me!),
taught me to always carry a flashlight, walks me through anything
technical with incredible patience because he knows I haven't a clue
what he's talking about, sends me Google earth directions so I don't
get lost, loaned me a laptop when my old one was dying, and even went
out to find my monopod for me after I fell and hurt myself at the
eagles' nest. He and his wife are awesome people, and it's really
good to know there are still folks like that out there in this tough
world.
My
friend “Pinky,” who texts me constantly when he's house-sitting
to let me know how my critters are, loves goofy movie trivia and just
hanging out in the carport, texts me about great B movies to Netflix,
always makes me laugh, gives me giant bear hugs, and is absolutely
priceless to me.
The
friend who rescued Sammy from a Lake Rayburn campsite, and kept her
in a safe place until I could get home to pick her up, instead of
immediately carting her off to the shelter, and understood when I
eventually had to take Sammy there after she terrorized our kitties.
My
senior “planing” friends who let me tag around asking a million
questions, taking picture after picture of them, and never ever treat
me like a girl.
The
city employees who flag me down and ask me how the eagles are doing
every time I come out from the nest, even though they haven't even a
clue what my name is; it always makes me smile that others love them
so much.
The
friend who, after an area "free" paper refused to run our ad, got the news about our garage sale put on the front page
of our local paper, and who keeps using my pictures in her publication; it is an
incredible honor.
The
nature geeks who keep supporting my photograph obsession and my
inundation of pictures Facebook, all those small compliments made many a day brighter for me during dark times.
The
friends who love Elvis as much as I do and go feed him for me when
I'm out of town.
The
bird friend who helped me rescue baby ducks and didn't laugh at me
for carrying them in my hoodie pouch like a kangaroo mama, and shared
her rehab with me; she does what the rest of us who loves birds
can't. I love her for that passion.
The
friend who volunteers almost every single day at our local shelter,
who called me with donations for the garage sale, and totally and
completely understands that I can't do what she does because I would
end up taking ALL the cats home.
My
generous dog-loving friend who works as an anesthesia nurse and
showed up before my breast biopsy, just to give me a hug.
The
big guy in my life, who towers over me by over a foot, hugged my face
the first time he saw me after my breast biopsy came back benign, is a few years my senior and retains his enthusiasm about life and
spreads it wherever he goes, and is one of those rare spirits on the
planet whose artistic creativity is as hyperactive as my own.
My
365 friends.... who shared SO much beauty with me over the past year;
there were many days their beautiful images were all the beauty I
could see in the world.
The
friend who got it when I got a cast instead of a brace on my broken
arm because the critter fur in the Velcro on the brace drives me
bonkers—lol!
My
friend with whom I laughed so hard the night Enterprise bailed on us,
most folks would not have had nearly as much fun being stranded as
she and I did, who is my mini-me, and totally and completely
understands that shit happens.
My
friend from HER childhood, who always supports me emotionally when I
am hurting, who babysat my kids, whose heart is as big as Texas, and
who I love beyond all human reason just because she's there. “Yeah,
we're not gonna do that now.” :-)
My
attorney friend who I very seldom get to see in person, but gives her
services and advice freely, is always there when I'm at the depths of
despair, is always discreet, and refuses any payment but artwork.
My
bone-hunting friend who just gets me, can do things drawing that I
only ever dreamed of, teaches because she loves it, listens to all
my cuckoo art ideas, and relishes her geekitude (something that took
me 30 years to accomplish). Even though she is 20 years my junior, we
just connect on some strange level that clicks, and I will not give
that up for ANYTHING.
My
sweet Barbie friend, who is always dressed to the nines, speaks her
mind without being hurtful, totally understands mother/daughter
issues, thinks I'm the creative one, and just always makes me feel
good.
My
doggy loving friend who gave me medicine for my Lucky Dawg in his
final days, because I could not afford to go to the vet, went
completely overboard helping with our garage sale, is the negative to
my positive and puts up with it, and never judges me.
Sometimes,
without a word, a friend got me through the days when light was hard
to find. It's like having small support beams under my life. Without
those beams, I would have collapsed a long time ago. From the bottom
of my heart to the heights of heaven, I just wanted to say thank you.
To all those I love who love me back,
allison
