Friendships and your heart...

Something that has been on my mind lately is friendship. I have a friend who is having a tough time now. Her brother just died. She and I have a kind of brother-sister thing between us. I love her just like my own sister and she I'm sure loves me just the same. When she hurts, I hurt. I don't get to see her that often because she lives out of state, but I talk to her as often as I can. Her "real" brother just passed away after a tough illness. My heart wants to tell her "hey, your little brother (me) will always be here for you." But, I'm not sure that's appropriate at this point. The hurt for her, is still too fresh. And besides, I'm not really related to her, just a very good friend. I have found, in life, you are lucky to have one, maybe a couple of really good friends. I used to scoff at people who said things like this when I was young, but as I get older, I realize how true that is. This friend is one of those for me. And I hope that I am for her.
I heard something in a TV show once, that I really think fits. "Miles can't separate us from the love we share", I think was the quote from a wife to her husband in a war zone.
I have one more friend that I see occasionally, but have known for most of my life (26 years, in fact.) We don't connect much except via e-mail, but we have so much history together, we've bonded. Occasionally we go walking or shopping together. But our illnesses don't let us see each other that often.
I think I've come to realize that the people that are truly part of your heart (and we all know who those people are, are the most trusted friends. I have many others that I converse with or e-mail frequently but it's not the same, really. Don't get me wrong. I feel strongly for some of these "friends" too but when it comes down to it, the heart knows.

Overcompensating...

As I do everyday, I'm sitting in my chair, attempting to hone my skills as a writer. I have had big dreams of eventually write a book, (and I'm working on it)but some of my friends have encouraged me to blog, to get the creative juices flowing. I'm not very active, because I am disabled, (or perhaps some laziness fits in there as well), not able to work, but I'm at a point in my life where I'm getting concerned about the future and that has spurred this writing idea. I've been told since I was a kid by my mother and other friends that I should write because of the many experiences I've had in my life...good and bad. I always thought that to be rather silly, because who really is going to be interested in my life, my world? Well, as it turns out, I am! Sound corny? Let me explain. We all know how people eat up what the media has to say about certain famous people, Lindsay Lohan, Angelina Jolie? Brad Pitt? I could list people ad infinitum that I hear talked about. The same is true, I've found with people in the disabled community. We all want to know what the other is doing. I love those shows like "Extreme Home Makeover: Home Edition" because they are about people less fortunate. Let's face it, "less fortunate" sells (Proceeds not necessarily going to "less fortunate" people except in the case of "Extreme Makeover", maybe)
I sit and dream of how maybe something wonderful like that might happen in my life, and then I remember what many of my elders have said, "God helps those who help themselves." There is truth to that. I wouldn't be alive today if I hadn't followed (to the best of my ability) instruction from doctors, and my family and friends.
We need each other. As I watch as this country sinks deeper and deeper, I realize we NEED each other. That's hard for someone like me to wrap my head around after trying for so many years to train myself to not need help. I think that's called overcompensation. But my parents and schoolteachers drummed into my head from an early age that I needed to know how to fend for myself...kind of difficult when I was a teenager especially with all the teenage angst and anger that goes along with being that age.
But, I'd say that I was given tools to work with to become (or not) as happy as I want to be. I just try today not to "overcompensate"