Friends. I have been thinking about them a lot lately as I have seen the effect that a good friend can have on someone. If you read my last post, you will understand what I mean. I have also seen this same change in my oldest daughter. Through elementary school, she struggled trying to keep friends. She struggled socially. But when she hit sixth grade and went to the intermediate school, she found a true friend. They did everything together. My daughter was so much happier. And when other kids asked her friend why she hung out with SE, she stood up for her and told them flat out “because I like her.”
This last school year as SE was heading into middle school, her best friend moved. And SE was left alone again. She struggled. She was bullied a lot. For the first few months, she couldn’t stand school, she didn’t even like to be home. She hated life. When other girls from our ward tried to reach out to her, SE would turn the other way. She wouldn’t let anyone in. I thought about home-schooling her. But when I prayed about it, I got the same answer as I had in the past, no. (Well it was a lot more in depth than that, but that’s the shortened answer.) I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that she really needs that social interaction. I am so grateful for the power of prayer. I posted this on facebook during that time.
“It is so hard to watch one of your children struggle and hurt. It is so hard not to just pull her out of the situation and take her into my arms to protect her. I wish I could but it is not the answer I got. It is times like these that I am so incredibly grateful for the gospel and that there is a Father in Heaven who truly cares, and who knows what he is doing. I know I can trust him to hold my daughter when I can't.”
Through a lot of prayer, a lot of tears, and a lot of love, she is really pulling through now. She still is a little hermit in her room and only comes out when she has to, but she finally started letting some friends in her life again (and she is reading her scriptures everyday. I think that is huge.) She doesn't really have a "best" friend right now, but at least she has friends. She is so much happier now.
The main reason though for writing this post is not about my daughter, but about my past; to say thank you to someone who gave me so much . . . more than I ever knew at the time. And now watching my kids, and then looking back at my own life, I am just now realizing how much she gave me. I had an amazing friend since I was very young. She was always there for me. We were always friends. I never had to go without a friend, or experience that extreme loneliness because she was always there. When I needed someone to talk to, she was there. We did everything we could together. We were best of friends and I loved her. So thank you Summer. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for keeping me out of trouble, for lifting my spirit when I was down, for liking the things I liked just because I liked them, for putting up with me, for helping me through some hard times, and for just being my friend so that I never did have to go without. I never knew just how much that would mean, until now. (2 Nephi chapter 2: If you do not know what misery feels like, how do you truly know the depth of your happiness?) I wish distance didn’t separate us so much, but you will always hold a special place in my heart. And I will forever be grateful for all you have done for me.
I am also grateful for the incredible friends I have now. For the ones that get up early and walk with me, for the ones that I get to eat out with every month, for the ones I go visiting teaching to and the ones who come to me, for the ones that will always stop and talk to me in the halls, and especially for my best friend, my husband whom I love dearly. Thank you to all the amazing friends out there, who look past the weaknesses into the heart. A true friend can help to pull us through anything.
No comments:
Post a Comment