Sometimes thumbing your nose to quiet desperation means helping someone else

My journey toward not living a QD life started very selfishly. The anxiety and focus of my life had me so unhappy I had to do something or implode. Then there are the times when feeling sorry for yourself or trying to break out takes a back seat to helping friends or loved ones. Two instances I can think of that helped me gain a better foothold on life were when a friend had a heart attack and my son struggled with football injuries. My friend didn’t have a massive heart issue but after having a stint surgery needed someone to help him get active again. I was running a decent distance each day but he wasn’t active in that manner at all. I put my running on hold and came to his house daily to go for a walk, and just talk. The fitness aspect was small for me but I wanted to provide the support of a friend.

The other is that my son had a football injury that both tore up his shoulder but worse he suffered a torn retina. Also being a baseball player the eyes are ultimately important to depth perception. After three surgeries and a major setback I just wish I could take that burden off of him. It’s one of those moments that is frustrating as a parent as I’d gladly give the sight up in one of my eyes so that he could have it. My little world problems go away when trying to support a loved one whether it’s a friend or our own child. It’s a practice of learning perspective. If I don’t get that reporting off to my boss in time will that really kill me? He probably doesn’t even notice but I might beat myself up over it for days.

Sometimes being there for a friend makes our own problems take a back seat.