Fear Not

One thing I have learned in life is there are many different kinds and types of relationships. Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers…the list goes on and on. If you are lucky, you will have a little of all these types along your journey and some relationships may even teach you some pretty amazing things if you are lucky. I happen to be a pretty lucky person lately when it comes to all these types of relationships…or maybe I am just aware of everything so much more…either way it’s pretty cool to be able to be present and find the gifts that each relationship brings.

My kids have been blessed from the beginning of their life. We have lived in the same community, they have gone to the same school and they have made some awesome friends that will hopefully last a lifetime. They don’t even realize what this is about right now because they are so young but as their Mother I see it and it makes me so happy.

When you have the time to enjoy the moments you have with people you will see that there is something so unique that you get from each person in your life. From the most mundane thing to the biggest and best thing you could imagine. Everyone here serves a purpose in the grand plan…thankfully I have recently realized how many special people are not only in my life but my children’s lives as well. They are truly blessed!

Almost 8 yrs ago when I was pregnant with Eli our friendship with some neighbors quickly moved to not only being friends with the parents but also our children becoming friends. Every week of my pregnancy I would see the kids and they were so excited to see what I was having. Quickly there was a bond forming even before Eli came into the world. After he was born the bond continued and not just with Eli but all the kids got closer. There were many nights spent together hanging out and making memories. We would always comment how unusual it was that our kids (7 in all before Ella) got along so well …there was very rarely if ever a problem. Now you add another neighbor with 4 kids (2 of who would also hang out with our kids all the time) and the group was awesome! Ella came along a short time later and she fit right in with all the others in the neighborhood. They all carried her around everywhere, including her in everything and I am pretty sure when she was a wee 17 Months old she hung with the rest of the gang on New Year’s Eve…she was a trooper and the bonds kept growing. I would always sit back and be in awe of what I would witness when we all would be together…no fighting, big kids helping the little ones, everyone including everyone…these were some pretty awesome kids. Not really something you would expect from kids whose age span now from 4-16. I always felt lucky for the bond they all had and as I would see this past year their bond would go deeper even though much of it might be unspoken.

When bad things happen it sucks and people rally around that family …unfortunately in our neighborhood we have had a hell of a year and we all need a lot of rallying. The bond that started so innocently years ago over smores, vacations and late nights hanging out has now taken on a different meaning. You see, kids should not have to grow up so quick; they should not have to worry about the future of a sibling or a parent having cancer. It just is not fair! If you know me you know I believe in God and I also believe in a plan… I don’t understand that plan and I get angry at that plan sometimes just like everybody else but I do know there is a reason for everything. I find it amazing that as close as we all are that our families are all going through such a trying time …and at the same exact time. How amazing that God has it set up so that they all would have each other to get through these tough times!

This weekend I watched as “the big kids” put aside any plans they may have had to have a fun day with my kiddos. A three-hour trip to Arnold’s where they walked them around, played laser tag, rode rides and won tickets galore! What memories were made!!! Eli and Ella could not have been any happier (especially when Ella won the jackpot for 5,000 tickets).  Watching these kids enjoy my kids and truly love them …it just melts my heart. The kicker of the whole weekend for me was New Year’s Eve. I speak of this unspoken bond, a knowing somewhere in all of them that they are all going through something that could forever change their life and actually already has. A feeling that hopefully all of them have… that they will all have someone to be there for them if and when they need it., even if they can’t speak of it. I watched New Year’s Eve as these kids who suddenly had to grow up a bit quicker than normal this year could lose themselves in a Juke box and a microphone for just a few hours. I sat and watched every one of them just be a kid…hopefully enjoying the moment (not to mention trying to kick my butt in a singing competition) what a gift to lose oneself in the present moment and be thinking of nothing other than that! It brought tears to my eyes.

When I speak of relationships teaching you things, this is the prime example. I have learned so much from watching these bonds form and just appreciating everything that is in front of us. Not knowing what tomorrow will bring for anyone but enjoying the moment of today! I know my kids have many people on their side but the bond that they will have with these amazing kids and their families can never be broken! I believe in my heart that they will always be there for each other no matter what path their journey takes them on. For that I could not be any more grateful!

~ by Rebecca on January 1, 2013.

Posted in Along the way