And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say That the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!


I don’t know how many times I have tried to write this post.  Anything I have written down just doesn’t seem to do it justice, so I will just get to the point. Honestly, I truly and profoundly believe that I wouldn’t be standing here had it not been for the kindness of others.
As always, my friends and family have stood by me, listened to me cry, sent me words of encouragement. I have always prided myself in choosing amazing friends and time and time again, they have proved themselves to be the truest of true. They are my family and my soul mates and wherever I go in this world, they are home.
But on this crazy path, something has happened that has completely altered the way I thought about the world.  Somewhere, somehow I began to believe that the world and the people in it were innately corrupt.  People were self-serving, arrogant, mean.  They would step on anyone to get where they wanted to go, with no consciousness of the person next to them.
Then my life blew up and I was left picking up the pieces with a baby and a toddler.  There were days that I literally felt like I was underwater or an imposter in someone else’s body. I couldn’t feel anything.  I could barely function, and yet I was responsible for the lives of two sweetest souls that I know.
Maybe I’ve just been seeing what I needed to see. Maybe I was just so jaded that it took me by surprise.  But it turns out in this cruel, cold world, that people are actually quite kind.
This is the part that I can’t seem to verbalize.  I am ashamed that I have been so taken aback by the way people have gone out of their way to help.  From the person I barely knew who quite possibly saved my life and put my family above her own, friends whom I haven’t spoken with in over a decade reaching out to offer their support, my favorite barista giving me a free coffee because I looked like I needed it.  For the past nine months, just as I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull myself out of bed one more day, someone gave me just a little bit of kindness.  And that was enough.
So to those of you who have offered support, help, prayers, vibes, juju: Thank you.  You may never know the extent of your kindness. Thank you for getting me through another day. Thank you for giving my girls a mother that they might not otherwise have. Thank you for making this a world where I can confidently show my daughters that people are innately kind. Thank you for all the strings you have pulled, the love you have shown, and the hope that you have continued to give.
It’s not always easy to accept all of these things, but life didn’t leave much choice in this case.  I will never be able to adequately express my gratitude for everything you have done, but I can promise that I will pay it forward.

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