Health & Fitness
The Offer to Help
My mother died when I was 29. I hope my blog is an inspiration to keep those we love, including loved ones we've lost, alive in both our activities and general spirit!
Who notices you are drowning and throws you a life-preserver? Drowning in stress, that is. I sometimes feel selfish in wishing my mom was here–for me. If you’ve read my posts you know how sad I am that she did not have the chance to enjoy her grandchildren and adult companionship with her daughters…. But, I also readily admit that I wish my mom could help me! I was reminded of this wish today when a friend expressed sadness and even anger that her mother is unable to help her. My friend feels a desperate need to get away for a night with her husband and asked her mother to stay with her children overnight. One problem inherent in this scenario is that her mother did not reach out to her. More than anything, she wanted her mother or husband to notice her stress and offer help. Imagine how comforted you would feel if someone close to you said, “Wow, you seem stressed lately. Maybe you’re feeling crazed from work or from the kids. What you need is to get away…..” Just that remark would make you feel better, right? And, certainly from there you could use your mom’s, husband’s or friend’s help to plan the stress-relieving get-away.
Luckily, as I have said in previous posts, I have some people in my life who do notice and offer to help. But, a mom is just so uniquely “there for you.” , She most likely is free of huge responsibilities—no other children at home, possibly retired,… If your mom is not able to or simply not the right person to work with you, who is watching out for you? Which of your friends will throw you a life-preserver? Will they offer first or wait for you to ask?
