A Bunch of Thoughts

This week is rather a hodgepodge of thoughts. The month has been a mélange of experiences and “ah ha” moments.

I have been helping a friend navigate the shoals of his new life. It is tough as there are a lot of moving parts. When I think people are being treated poorly or unkindly by others, I tend to get a bit riled up and my codependent superhero gets activated.  As I may have mentioned previously, this habitual behavior creeps up on me and before I know it, I am knee deep in carrying the weight of the situation.  The good news is that the “new” me tends to tire much more rapidly than the earlier version.  While I was still willing to do battle, I was also exhausted and simply took a big step backward to give us a bit of space. It was just a weekend to regroup. 

At the beginning of the next week, I received a phone call that announced that the problem had been handled. Some of my advice taken and some ignored and all to the good.

It was a strange sensation and wonderful. By simply stepping back and leaving room for the universe to step into the void I was out. And in many ways the solution could only have been as easily accomplished without me around to hover and make others get roiled up. It was a great lesson for me, and I got to see how things work out for the best the less you touch them.

This new knowledge kicked off the arrival of my Chinese family. I had not seen them in over five years. Not since “the kid” left for college. While looking forward to the visit, I had not realized just how much I had missed them and what an integral part of the tapestry of my life they occupy. As with all true friends, the ones that become family, we picked up where we had left off, catching up quickly and then moving into new conversations.

While it is something we all know to be true, being with people you have known a long time and with whom you share a history can be comforting or confronting (especially if they are family). Their visit brought great comfort as the past was once again melded into the present. The best part is I was left knowing that the future holds potential for new adventures and stories.

Finally, we had a gathering of local friends to see the kid and celebrate some birthdays. Immersed in the energy and love of the evening, it reminded me that joy is always at hand and laughter is simply the best. And there was cake!