With the opportunity to read a friend’s blog post on Facebook last night, I affirmed what was already known: all of us have life stories unique to us.
She’s one who’s been emotionally in and out of both a tragic, untimely loss and a questioning faith life. Personal struggles, by her own public admission, were difficult to push through at times, but being here – today – is evidence of her ability to overcome. Her story. Unique to her.
Is it, though?
After reading the post last night, I sent her the following in support (and I don’t think she’d mind me sharing):
“Your journey is interesting. Read it last night. Keep pen to paper. People need to know what must be said – from all of us who live life surviving in the lanes they do … and need to understand “being alone” there doesn’t exist. Well done!”
Awkwardly written, of course, because my mind and hands were semi-preoccupied with a half-peeled banana, 3 chips-ahoys, ham and tomato sandwich, and diet pepsi surrounding this phone as I typed with two less-then agile fingers. She needed the support, regardless of the uneasiness of the prose. When someone bares their past like she did publicly with class, the pupils in the room eyeballing the effort must applaud in return…
… Not insincerely by many means. Her words were effective.
Questioning a God is no small task. In the midst of silence, it’s fair to ask, “Where are you?”. Asking for connections to a specific relative – when none was possible – was a daunting query in the midst of that elusive emotion called, “love”. Unexpected life situations being dumped into her lap causing plans to change immediately when a path forward, “just yesterday”, was the right thing to do.
All of these written in a shared blog to highlight a life, now, on the right path. A story being told with the following beginning:
“SUPER LONG POST WARNING“
“On October 26, 2020, I sat down to write my next post for my new Blog. I intended to write about my unique and incredible relationship with my dad, but at the last minute I decided to write about my journey to, from and back …”
Ending with:
“…And I do believe there are reasons for unanswered prayers.”
It is her story. She survived in a lane others are driving in now. This is why her story, and others, need to be shared.
Stories are important. Non-fiction, and fiction for sure. Both help us think our way through what we are living through at the moment and, perhaps, solve life’s little buggers … and, maybe, some of the bigger problems.
I don’t know a lot of things. However, it was nice for me to read her “Super Long Post” even after the fair warning 😉😊. Struggles, sadness, and loss are all parts of this spinny planet and we have to find our way across the rough water in front of us at times.
Having word bridges to walk over together – built by friends – makes the journey a bit easier.
Thanks, ASW. Keep on writing!
DougHugs 