I have been going through a tough time with diabetes lately. If you read my last post about guilt, that sums up the main reason for my recent sadness. I can usually pull myself out of D related sadness by being positive and finding the good hiding behind Diabetes. This time, for some reason, I am taking longer to snap out of it.
In trying to understand and sort out my feelings I turned to my best friend. She is someone who "gets it." She has two healthy, beautiful children and besides Skyler (her Godchild) she does not have any other experience with diabetes. Somehow she "gets it." You know what I mean. She understands how I feel, she understands how difficult diabetes is, she understands what my fears are and how they make me feel. Her and her husband often find themselves in situations where they discuss how Skyler would have to handle, whatever it is, in a different way. She is an advocate for Skyler. She is an advocate for me. She knows me so well and cares so much that she will talk me through my difficult time and then come back to me hours or days later with more advice because she has been thinking about it or researching it.
I find that most people don't "get it." Many people think they understand, but they don't really take the time to ask questions, or read about diabetes, or put themselves in our situation. I don't want to waste my time being angry with people who don't "get it." I would much rather put my time and energy being in awe of, and full of gratitude towards, those who do "get it." I am fortunate to have some of these people in my life.
I am always amazed by the understanding of my best friend, but really it simply comes down to the fact that she cares deeply for myself and my family. She has taken the time to think about our daily lives and because of that, can feel empathy. She pays attention when others are not. She is taking it all in and processing all of the little steps that Skyler and our family take to ensure her health and saftey. It matters to her. Skyler's health matters to her, Skyler's little girl feelings matter to her, and my feelings matter to her. She has also read about diabetes care and management as well as various blogs. She has taken the time to educate herself and to pay attention to myself and Skyler.
I should mention that her and I went to college together, moved to the same small town, married our husbands here, had our children here, and teach together here where our children go to school. Our families are like family, our children are growing up together and will forever have a special bond. Everything happens for a reason and I believe God put her here with me and made sure our paths met because I don't know what I would do without her.
I am working on pulling myself out of this funk.
As I am looking for the good hiding behind diabetes, I find an unbelievable friendship that many people never have the opportunity to experience. I will never take this for granted and I pray that when she needs me to "get it" that I will.
I hope all of you reading this have someone in your life who "gets it." God knows we all need at least one.
