Not Alone

Since it’s Saturday, and John is working, Erin has been catching up on blogs she hasn’t read for a while. Sometimes life seems frustrating, or boring, or completely confusing. Reading blogs makes us realize this is not unusual. We tend to imagine other people have more fun, have more adventures, or have a less difficult time. Completely untrue. Here’s what Erin discovered this morning:

Someone is having a rough start to 2008 because of family problems.
A mom cannot take a shower in peace without constantly tossing toys at her baby to momentarily subdue his screaming while she scrubs.
One blogger’s grandmother died this week.
Someone has spent several years doing distasteful work and just now found a job he actually enjoys.
Someone has nothing more interesting than haircuts to write about.
Some people watch a lot of television and are peeved by the writer’s strike.

So what about us? John is working seven days a week right now, as is usual for this time of year.

John reminded Erin that getting a job seems to be a matter of who you know and timing. It sure seems that has been the case for Erin throughout her entire life. Until now. It seems the time should have already come. Or one of the people Erin knows should have been able to give her more than “we don’t have any spots available right now…why don’t you talk to (fill in the blank),” and “fill in the blank” tells her the same thing. And on it goes.

Our nephew is no longer in danger of hydrocephalus, and the hemorrhages in his brain have cleared…a definite answer to prayer. He’s still having some trouble eating on his own, but he must be happy about something because he smiles all the time.

We are grateful for each other and for family and friends who love us even though their own lives are not necessarily easy or adventuresome either.

And now Erin is off to do more exciting life activities like vacuum, trim dead canna lilies in the backyard, and clean out a closet. John will continue sitting in front of a computer and stacks of reports for the rest of the day.

Today, we appreciate that we are not alone in the frustrations, confusions, and everyday-ness of life.