LOVE

Well, crap, Alex. I wish, as always, that I could just blow all of this away. I have been a bit MIA lately on the blog, and I am so sad to sign on and hear you are in the hospital. I know it is just another set back, and that you will overcome it as you have all of the others. But crap. I know about myself that as a therapist, I am perfectly able to sit with people in their pain. When the person in pain is someone I love dearly, though, all I want to do is fix it. I was reminded of this last night by my 6 year old, Liza. She was in SUCH despair. She lost one of her front middle teeth on Wednesday, and Thursday night, middle tooth number 2 was ready to come out. But she was so worried about what it would be like with a great big hole in the middle of her mouth that she was scared to pull it out. She sobbed and sobbed. I kept telling her that it is a happy thing, an exciting thing, a special thing, a big girl thing, etc. etc. She finally looked me in the eye and said clearly, "But Mama, it doesn't feel like that to ME." Bless her for her clarity. I was reminded that I can't protect the people I love from pain. All I can do is love them. So here I am, despite my massive wish to just make your pain go away, knowing that all I can do is love you. I love you. I love you. You are strong. You will overcome this. Breathe. Breathe. And I love you. This weekend is Mother's Day here. There, too? I'm guessing not. But you will be on my mind on Sunday. The strongest mother I know. I devote Sunday to you. - Lindsay