Strength in giving

I've met some incredibly strong people over the years. These are the ones that have met adversity and refused to let it knock them down but instead have taken it head-on. Single moms are probably the most common of these that you will encounter on a daily basis. These ladies are tough, tougher than most guys will ever be (come on guys, admit it, could you handle it as well?).

I'm going to speak about a couple of friends I've met during the past year or so, they're not single moms but I still admire their strength.

One of my friends was involved in an auto accident almost a decade ago. She suffered injuries that should have left her for dead but survived. The worst of these was traumatic brain injury. She has had to relearn almost everything from scratch. Most of who she was was gone and has only come back little by little over the years. She has struggled with extreme depression, physical injuries that require regular therapy, headaches, her family relationship. In spite of this she has never let go, she has worked and strived to regain, as much as realistically possible, what she was before while also becoming more. Even with this she has still taken the time to reach out, to become a "warrior princess" (my phrase) for the rights and freedoms of others.

The other lady is a more recent acquaintance, one that I am still learning more about each day. I think I have only seen a fraction of what she is so far but even that has been impressive. This woman lost her mom when she was 9 years old, has been through abusive and harsh relationships, serious life threatening illnesses. She had every reason to curl up in a ball and hide. Didn't happen. Instead she raised 4 strong loving children and is a dedicated grandmother and great-grandmother. This ain't all. She still finds the time to reach out and be concerned for the needs of others. She encourages so many that are discouraged. She is "Momz" to many young folks that are in need of guidance. She'll go without to make sure someone else doesn't, to help someone make ends meet when times are hard.

You might notice the common factor both of these ladies have. They reach out and are concerned for others. That in my mind is a key to healing and strength. You can not focus and concentrate on yourself only and expect to be strong and heal. What goes around comes around. What you give away comes back multiplied. Whether you call it karma or what ever, it's a rule that applies universally.

I'm honored to be able to count these ladies among my friends and I love them both dearly.
I just hope I have even a fraction of the strength and selflessness they have.