Making room for good things

Daily Gratitude 

I'm shining today because I'm thankful for:

• Sunshine somewhere. Even though I haven't seen it for days, I know the sun is shining bright and beautiful on other worthy people. I sure wish it would come back to my home.
• The shoulder of a friend. It's so nice being able to lay down one's burdens, even if it's just for a few moments.
• Coffee with my girlfriends. I have to say, getting caffeinated with my friends is very satisfying! 

Times, they are a changin'

My friend Bob calls me every so often. He's been checking on me since we were in college. Dare I say that's been over 30 years now?! I've missed his last few attempts to reach me. I'll see his number on my phone and sigh that we didn't get to talk. Then, I smile and think to myself what a treat it is to know I'm on his mind.

Bob is a pastor of rare perspective. He's tends his extended church flock (which includes me, even though I haven't officially been a member of any church for almost as many years as I've known him) with love and humor. He's got the "love your neighbor as thyself" thing nailed. It's a beautiful and amazing quality.

Yesterday he called and I had tons of time to visit. He asked after the kids and filled me in on his crazy world. He wanted an update from me. I hesitated. Did he really want to hear my stuff? I reasoned after all of these years he's proved a genuine interest. Most of the time I've shared only happy, good things. But, true friends are willing to see you when you have bedhead and bad breath. So, I laid it on him. 

I told him that over the last few months (well, years) I've eliminated a lot of things from my life. The job that wasn't working for me (it was literally making me crazy, this is no lie!), the marriage that wasn't really a marriage, people that said they were friends, and a lot more. He agreed that this was good stuff to discard. Yet, in the elimination, like with diarrhea, a lot of good things went out with the bad. Some of the things that went were the stimuli of conversing and working with others, the need for analysis and problem-solving, an intimate relationship, and...money!

Telling him that I've got myself in a snug space that I'm having a difficult time getting out of was liberating. He was glad to learn that I'm ready to add back some of the good things that went with the bad. And, what was lovely, was he just listened. When I was done he asked if I would like to hear his thoughts on the matter. Wasn't that nice? He asked. So many people have an opinion, usually something judgmental or what would work for them, and they're more than willing to give it to you without really considering if you want or need it.

Interestingly, he didn't give me a rehashing of tired and worn out advise. Rather, he offered to give me a break. A real break. A trip to a warm place free of charge. Plane ticket and room included. Wow! I don't know that we'll be able to work out the details. But, it doesn't matter. His opinion was just to give me a gift. It makes my heart hurt from such a lovely gesture. In his wisdom he believed that I needed new air to breathe and an opportunity to consider the spaces the have been created by eliminating junk.

Let's see if we can make it happen. I sure hope so! God bless Bob for not only being there all of these years, but helping me without judgement to embrace those empty spaces, which are only...

Making room for good things!