This I Believe
This year I took a weekend trip to Pennsylvania with a friend to visit her parents. I knew that Laura had grown up working in her dad’s diner, buttering toast, clearing tables, making sure that people are seated and have coffee, and now I got to see the operation for myself. Laura was raised to make sure that people are taken care of – and she still does that in every aspect of her life – as a contractor to the federal government, with her friends, as a community outreach coordinator for her rowing club – she takes care of people. I believe a lot about life has to do with making sure people are seated and have coffee. It means: I see you, I know you have needs and I’m coming to help. Imagine if each personal interaction in each day could communicate that message somehow, at work, at the grocery store, with our families. I see you, I know you have needs and I’m coming to help.
It was hard to watch my sweet loving friend Laura go through some tough times this year – a couple of failed endeavors and rocky relationships and she lost confidence in herself. She got depressed and stopped doing the things she used to love. As we all do, I tried to be there for her and felt helpless, knowing in my heart how amazing she is. Then I watched her gain some footing and reach out for help and through that process she sat her own self down and served herself a cup of coffee. Laura is doing much better now because she took the time to really care for herself in the same way she cares for others. I believe sometimes we need to stop and say to the precious vulnerable person inside us, I see you, I know you have needs and I’m coming to help.
Written with love by Jen, September, 2006 for Laura in celebration of her birthday and our friendship