It's in the Supports

As I was driving down the road the other day, I passed a new office building that had just been landscaped. The sod was still in those visible squares waiting for the time that Nature would quilt them into one lush green blanket of grass and the shrubs were tiny little bushes in freshly upturned earth. There were also a few trees planted in hope of one day providing shade as well as beauty.

The trees were still quite young, but already they were taller than my six-foot frame. Yet, in order for them to grow tall and straight, their roots needed time to dig deep and take hold of the earth. The landscapers knew this, of course, and therefore took three six foot two-by-fours and placed them around the tree as supports holding the tree steady. Even with one of the east coast’s violent summer storms that tree would be held in place and allowed to stretch toward the skies, reaching its full potential.

As I stared at that configuration, I couldn’t help but to be thankful for the supports throughout my life that have helped me to grow into the person I’ve become and enabled me to reach my dreams. My entire life, I have been encouraged to stretch myself beyond my comfort zone and reach to new heights. There have been many that have come along when I could have very easily toppled over and held me steady while my roots dug deep to take a stronger hold. Without these people in my life, I would have floundered long ago, becoming mere driftwood on the waves of Life’s ocean.

I have seen that happen to too many people. These people started out with a dream and surrendered to the negativity or were crushed when they found it was actual work. Their cheerleaders had abandoned them and without the encouragement, they forsook their goals and became just another failing statistic. Luckily, I was not one of those people and I hope you are not, either.

Since I popped into existence, my parents have been the first to hold me up, telling me that I could do whatever I set my mind to and much more. My dad was the most vocal, always challenging me to write and telling me to hurry up and do it. The girls are now my biggest supports as they strive to assist me in reaching for the stars in my writing dreams, not only with their encouraging words, but also with their typing, proofing, sharing, and listening to each new crazy idea that flitters through my mind. Next would be our children with their encouraging words and understanding as their father puts them and their antics into print for anyone and everyone to see their embarrassment. Finally, there are my closest friends who read, encourage, and help promote my writings. Each one of these fantastic people is my support, holding me steady that I may grow into who I was meant to be, encouraging me not to give up the fight and to sit my ass down and write.

Because of those who hold me up, I am able to grow strong and straight and I have achieved the beginnings of my dreams. Hopefully I have been as much of a support to those I love as they have been to me.

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