friendship

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Friendship heals us

It moves us through life

Lifting us up when we need it the most

Giving us a shoulder to lean on when we feel we cannot stand on our own

Beautiful friendships make the days brighter

Struggles not seem so insurmountable

And they fill our life with laughter and light

With a friend you do not even have to say a word

They know when you need them

And they swoop right in

Taking the time to have lunch with you, 

when they could have just headed home

Creating postcards and dropping them in the mail, 

so they arrive when you least expect it but need it the most

Sending little messages that appear in the palm of your hand, 

putting a smile on your face no matter where you stand

Friends fill you up

Together you create memories that live deep within each of you

They listen to you

Never judge you

But stand beside you

Even in your darkest moments, 

they simply hold your hand letting you know they are there

In a world where we cannot rely on many things

One thing for certain is our friendships

Taking the time to nurture them is important

Letting a friend know you care is valuable

With out my friends I would be a shell of myself

Wandering aimlessly through this world

I am so blessed to have connected deeply with my friends

And to have the opportunity to savor the memories we create together

Thank you dear friends

for standing beside me

Watching me grow and cheering me on

Thank you for listening 

For nurturing me

And swooping in when I didn't even know I needed you

You make my world a bright place

differences

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I see the small pieces

You look at the bigger picture

I feel things

You seek them out

Moments hit me right in the heart

Your mind races trying to figure out how to fix things

It does not make either of us right or wrong

It just makes us different from one another

You are a seeker and I am a feeler

I am optimistic

You are a bit more pessimistic

Happiness enters my heart easily

For you it is not that simple

But that is what makes the conversation interesting

You open me up to a different way of viewing the world

And seeing things from a different angle

Gratitude

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I often speak of how lucky I am.

How throughout my journey in life there have been difficult challenging times,

but along the way I meet some of the nicest people

Who hold my hand, guide me, stand beside me.

I have had some of the most amazing experiences,

usually happening when I least expect them.

Chance encounters

Life altering moments

They find there way to me

Some way, some how

It is all really mind blowing, heart opening, soul filling

These moments would not hold so much for me

if I did not appreciate them for what they were

And for what they opened up inside of me

I hold a book inside my heart filled with a list of things I am grateful for

Each day something new is added to that book

It warms my soul and brings a smile to my face

If these moments just came and went without me savoring them

They would be like any other moment in time

Insignificant and passing without a second thought

But for me they are not just moments

They are beauty, courage, truth, connection, love

They are amazing

and I am so grateful for each one of these moments finding there way to me

Here is a small list of some of the things I am grateful for in this moment

~ Postcards arriving in the mail

~ Connecting daily with people all across the states

~ 3:00 coffee breaks

~ Spending time in different parks and taking the time to soak it all in

~ Feeling honored to hear the truth of someone's story

~ Public transportation

~ Family and friends who listen to me and let me bounce things off of them

~ The sun shining down on me all weekend

~ My ring and all the meaning, truth, and reminders that it holds for me

~ Being able to recognize and feel proud for how far I have come on my journey

~ Having the opportunity to spend time with an out of state friend coming into town

~ The sanity that comes from having lunch with a friend

~ Being able to laugh at myself when I say the most ridiculous thing

~ Having wonderful people in my world each day who make me laugh and I can joke around with

~ The support and love that comes from my scarf sisters

opening up

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Some may not think that it is the safest thing to do

But that does not stop me

I risk my heart anyway

Opening it up to the world

Allowing people to come in

And sit with me 

I share my story

Even the parts that are not pretty

I show the vulnerable pieces of myself

Without any agenda or expectation

I show up 

As myself

Allowing others to enter the space around my heart and soul

I breathe in the moment

Letting it soak deeply into me

Knowing that these are the moments that I will remember

I listen deeply

To the stories others tell

Feeling each emotion that comes from them

I care about the way each person is weaved together 

As they make their journey through life

I treasure the moments when others shed some of their skin

Allowing me in to see them

Granting me the permission to enter their space

It is blessing to stand with them in that moment

I show up

As myself

With my heart in the palm of my hands

Showing the shining pieces as well as the bumps and bruises

In hopes that you will feel safe enough 

To share yourself with me

soaking it in

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Wherever you are

In this vey moment

Know that you are where you are suppose to be

Believe in this

Even though it may feel uncomfortable

You may be going through a heart wrenching struggle

You may be giggling with a friend and smiling from ear to ear

You may be holding hands with the one you adore

Or you may be shedding tears for losing a loved one

Whever you find yourself in this moment

Embrace it

Let it wash over you and sink in

Each moment we are building our character

Defining ourselves

Creating memories that will live in our hearts

And the hearts of others

Let the moments take us where they will

Do not fight them off

Sink deeply into them

These are the moments of our one precious life