I'm with you

I know I have written about the book, "Love Does" before.  The book is one of those things you are reminded of throughout your life.  There will be specific situations where you remember a story or something from the book which helps you make a decision in life.

The chapter in the book is titled "I'm with you" and it has followed me around for the last 2 years.

It is not an easy task, to be with someone.  The concept is pure, to stand by the side of a friend, a family member, or a loved one as they go through life in the good times and the bad.  But to actually stand there, to offer support and love for someone while they are going through some of the hardest times is difficult.

I was out with a new friend recently when she told me "You have a lot of stories."  It is true, I do have a lot of stories.  Stories of failure and success.  Stories of laughter at my own expense and laughter at someone else's expense.  I have so many stories that after she made that comment I began trying to catalog all of the stories in my head.  I started realizing I could not keep track of everything that had happened in my life any longer, at least not in my memory.

I started fast forwarding through the images I had stored in my memory, sort of remembering the main points of various stories or times in my life.  The memories that stood out the most were the ones of friends and family standing next to me.  The stories were not the best memories to have, they were raw and emotional ones, but they left me with the greatest sense of love and respect and gladness.

Take for example my friends back home, Alan and Jaimie.  I can remember having a challenging time financially for about a month.  My pay checks were not what I needed them to be and it came down to gas in my car and food on my plate or paying my bills.  Alan and Jaimie had me stay at their house for two entire weeks.  They fed me everyday and spent time with me every night.  They were with me.  They did not shy away when I was having a rough go of things.  Not only did they remain close, but they took me in as part of their family and made sure I came through on the other side.

When we have someone in our life it is so important that we are with them.  That we stand by each other's side in hard times.  Even if we don't know what to say, simply tell them "I'm with you."  Even if you don't know what to do, stand by their side.   Sometimes we don't need someone to give us advice or do anything for us.  Sometimes we just need to look to our left and to our right and see friends standing next to us, supporting us.

I have a friend right now who is going through some of the darkest times imaginable.  I cannot begin to fathom what I could say or what I could do for his family to help them.  All I can do is continue to say "I am with you."  Whatever his family may need, I am with them.  I know one day he will look back at these times and not remember them for the darkness or the fear, he will remember them for the friends who stood by his side through every bit of life.  The ones who were with him.

Who is in your life that you can stand with?  Who needs you to call and say you are with them?

Remember, the second greatest commandment of all is to "Love your neighbor as yourself."

So, in my 27 years of life experience I am learning it is more important to be able to look back at all those memories we are able to have and picture those people who were with us through it all.; the people who never gave up, who stood by our side and said "I am with you."