Challenges -- what a bore it would be if nothing ever went askew and if it always was an easy glide from one day to the next. And admittedly, few of us manage to wander our way through this life without some type of personal challenge--not family, not kids, but a deep personal challenge. A Dragon ready to possess us to the center of our souls. Fortunately, these challenges are few and when they do fall at our feet, knowing how to handle them and ourselves can be a task. These are the times when two heads are better than one and thinking is better than reacting. It is going to be a one shot, winner take all issue and the goal is to ensure the dragon doesn't win. We usually try to put it off but know that sometime, the challenge, the problem, the issue, just isn't going to go away. At that point we just have to stop what we're doing, step up, and go nose-to-nose with "that dragon which must be confronted."
What we really don't expect though, is to have the phone ring and suddenly and inexplicably find out a dear friend is confronting a challenge of an even greater magnitude then we ourselves may have ever faced. That's when you find yourself staring into the mirror and asking the reflection ... is it possible, do I have it in me, am I the best choice to help, can I stop, regroup and refocus my strengths to come to the aid of my friend -- Is it possible? (*gulp*) Me?
So it was ... A very dear friend, quietly came to me and said in the faintest of whispers, I need you. I need you to listen and I need you to help me think through this. With your help, I can then pick myself up, take it from there and handle it on my own. But now, I need you ... if you can.
IF I Can? Are you nuts? There was no way I was going to say, "no way." Joining the fight I do well; but on this issue, knowing when to say, "... I can't go any further, you must trek on alone" might be a problem. How do you know when to leave your friends alone with their thoughts? What's the sign look like that tells you when you must allow them to continue, solo? For we all know, some Dragons are only fought in a one-on-one fight. Win, lose, or draw, you and you alone, must face the dragon.
We all are exceptionally busy these days. And as many of you have gotten a chance to see up-front and personal at the fantastic SpouseBUZZ LIVE held in the Tidewater of Virginia, each of us is spinning and moving and going and pressing ahead with our lives. However, If I know anything about those of us on SpouseBUZZ and each of you in our community of spouses, it is this: we are all learning when it's time to say "I need your help. Can you?" and we know the corollary of the question which is, "Yes, I can stop what I'm doing, and I will stop what I'm doing."
My friend is very soon going to be nose-to-nose with the Dragon. And now, all I can do is watch and be where I'd promised to be, waiting for them when they come out. I believe that they know in their soul, that I'm there. And I only ask that they never forget-- win, lose, or draw, they can Stand Tall and Walk Proud.
When your phone rings, search deep inside and then stop and listen, stop and help. For the Dragon could easily be at our own doorstep tomorrow and we could be the ones asking for help. Over&Out, MaintenanceToadOne
