Monday, January 21, 2013

United in Love

Every now and again ... OK, maybe more than every now and again over the last few months ... I find myself participating in conversations that I would have never imagined I would have participated in. (And yes, to a certain couple of friends ... I know that my previous sentence ended in a preposition.) Some of those conversations are lighthearted and easy. Some are serious and painful. Some require more listening than speaking. Some are punctuated by the tears that accompany them. Some resound with laughter that fills the room. And some ... some can only be described one way ... some are defined by love.

Even as I sit here typing those words, my mind is filled with thoughts of conversations I've had over the last few days ... one with a friend whose heart I had wounded by my inability to talk with her ... one with a friend whose heart was burdened by the words she needed to speak to me ... one with a friend whose heart was grieving from the loss of a dear friend ... ones with each of my children ... conversations with those three amazing young adults can always lift my weary heart and soothe my troubled soul ... one with (well, kind of ... as much as you can have with an almost 1-year-old) via Skype with my beautiful little granddaughter. Talking and listening, laughing and crying, rejoicing and hurting ... so many feelings and emotions packed into those chats.

Today at work, I sat in a conference room with my supervisor and the senior vice president to discuss managing my workload now that we've picked up the Sonic account. The first part of the meeting dealt with all work stuff, and it was lighthearted and easy-going, and we all quickly agreed on a plan of action ... well, I whined about it a teeny tiny little bit but not much. After the work-related discussion ended, the conversation shifted ... the conversation shifted from work to some of the things that have been going on in my life. Now I need to interject something here ... both of these gals have been in the business world for many years, and they are in the positions they are in because they are good, really good, at what they do. They are both strong, secure, intelligent women, and they both know how to make things happen and get things done. And though they both respect each other in a big way, I'd be willing to bet that they don't always agree on exactly how to make those things happen or get those things done. But today as we talked, I knew they were in complete agreement about one thing ... their love and concern for me.

I've thought a lot about the things those dear women said to me today ... and I'm sure I'll be thinking about their words for a long while to come. Those sweet gals are so much more to me than my co-workers, they are my friends. The conversation today can only be described one way ... it was a conversation defined by love. They want me to be happy again ... they want to see the pain leave my eyes ... they want my soul to find peace. I could see it in their eyes ... I could hear it in their voices ... they were united ... united in their love for me.

And I am so blessed, ladies, so incredibly blessed to have you in my life. I am so incredibly humbled by your unconditional love, your steadfast encouragement and your overwhelming support. You're helping me find my way ... more than you will ever know.

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