By: Jennifer Richardson Holt
I do not promise much by way of length today. This was one of those weeks that, while it should have been generically busy with for the most part standard goings on, it exploded into a chaotic, stressful, worrisome and draining week for my whole family. No, it wasn’t something life threatening in the literal sense of the word, but it was so in the sense that every aspect of all of our lives was tossed about and rearranged in the most inconvenient and unpleasant ways possible. All of this discombobulation has led to me writing at the very last minute and if I’m honest, the only thing that even comes to my mind is to hopefully review what lessons I have learned from this difficult week. Perhaps someone else out there, and I am certainly not wishing this upon you, will find themselves in a similar situation and, as one day hopefully I will learn, the sooner you can learn the lesson, the sooner the test will be over.
First off, and perhaps most importantly, make note of those who are there for you and bend over backwards to help you when life complications arise. And once you have seen those that love you with that fierce, willing to rearrange their whole lives to help make yours easier kind of love, you lavish on them as much affection and gratitude as you possibly can. It is this type of person that is so often taken for granted. We all can think of, right at this moment, that one special person that no matter what will be there to help at your first inkling of need. Unfortunately, we very often don’t grasp the value of that type of person. The irreplaceable role they play is one that is often one of those hindsight things you don’t really see until you look back on it.
Reflecting on this week has proven to me that my mother is one of the strongest and most valuable pillars in my life. Much to my shame, it was upon me looking back that it really sank in how unbelievable she was, and honestly always is. She had so much to do this past week, yet she sat it all aside to help me. This week certainly wasn’t the first time either as she would run to my aide no matter how difficult it was for her. There is not a single thing I can do to repay that woman for all she does. Regrettably, her birthday fell during this less than thrilling week while she was in the midst of being her usual Godsend self. There isn’t going to be a celebration enough for me to thank her for all she does. I need to tell her often and show her even more often how much she means, no matter how futile the effort I put forth may be comparable to her worth.
I think the most obvious lesson to learn when your normal is tossed on its ear, is quite simply that normal, calm, usual and predictable are concepts that should not be held too tightly. We don’t think much of a typical day until your typical day is put in a blender and then you very much wish you could have a typical day. I think I was moseying along on cruise control as I suppose most of us do, likely very minimal in effort and feeling in most things I was doing. I almost think that a shake up of our world is allowed from time to time to help us see more clearly and feel more earnestly. I know right now the simplest little things going according to plan feel very much a blessing no matter how underwhelming they may be. Oh, the joys of an unrocked boat or a plan unhindered. There is a deep calm in the inexplicable relief when the light of normalcy is at the end of your tunnel that has suddenly been plunged into the darkness of disarray. Maybe we all need a little taste of shadow sometimes to remember the beauty of the simplest light.
Prose and Possibilities 