Perspective

It only takes something as simple as lunch and shopping with a friend to put things into perspective and fresh view. Due to my lifestyle and work schedule, my girl friend and I connect primarily with text messsages of 160 characters or less and a few emails. Neither of us like to talk on the phone.

In the year I have known her, our roles have morphed into something I feel ill-prepared to be for her. The first contact was made by me to her regarding a job opening. From that very first phone call, she has opened up to me and just pours her life and trials out in torrents.

 Before closing that initial call, I felt strongly led of the Spirit. I secured her email address which was used as a compassionate outreach and follow up. Connected her with Support tools and Educational materials to begin a Process of Personal Growth and improvements in  her health.

 The roles shifted again to where we are now.  I am directly facilitating and teaching her a curriculum out of a workshop series taken years ago that rocked my world. The distance again makes this challenging. To go to deep, raw places, and not be physically present is a gamble in my view. I can't even get to her if she goes into crisis.

She has deep seated emotional trauma wounds that she has developed safety mechanisms to get her through most of day to day life. Every now and then, she has a meltdown. Someone should be near.

While I have had some rough patches in my life, she has challenges that she continues to face with admirable strength, courage, and grace.

Yet, she sees her broken places. I see them too. I yearn for her healing. And realize the truths in common thoughts that we don't know how well we have it ourselves sometimes until we encounter those with even greater obstacles or injustices.

I see her beauty and her courageous outlook and am humbled that she looks up to me instead of in her own mirror.

Lovely time of fellowship and connection. Trusting that it will bridge the gaps our separate lives leave until we can meet again. Asking her questions, sharing my own recent discoveries, and a few hours of just being nearby, close enough to touch.

I am left to muse and will her Gifts FROM ME of the Go-forth to continue the fight for her own choices and freedoms.

Sending my dear friend my love and support,
Jan M. Olsen
~ J ~
Sent from my Verizon Wireless mobile pho