Sometimes, it just all goes right. A week ago, I was in tears. Not sure how we were going to make it one more day. I needed to get it all out, get it off my chest and just not be so stoic for a little while. And at some point after I did that, after I laid myself bare, things turned around. Not just a little, but a lot. The possibility of a paying job for me as soon as I complete my summer class, with benefits like tuition reimbursement. An extra class for my husband to teach in the fall. People ready to make offers on houses. People offering help every time I turn around. It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life.
I’m beyond grateful to those of you out there who commented, who contributed, who offered help in every way you could, even if it was just a prayer asking God’s blessings on my family. Because they worked. Though it remains to be seen just how many of these things pan out and actually bring us income in the coming days/weeks/months, the simple fact that my optimism has been restored is enough for me right now. I am sitting in my home with electricity, with water, with enough food to fill my belly, and with the knowledge that it is OK to be scared from time to time. That admitting you need help is not a sign of weakness.
That’s a lesson I needed to learn. Whining is not OK, but admitting you need help is. Stoicism is overrated. And there’s a lot of love out there in the world. There’s a sappy smile on my face and I’m feeling blessed tonight.
