Tonight I am grateful for my family. I am so fortunate to have siblings who care about me and who care about one another. As I sort through what I need to do in the next few weeks to decide my next move, I have been able to talk through potential scenarios with various members of my family. Some have helped me financially as I’ve navigated through the challenging straits of unemployment and others have offered suggestions, ideas, and helps in other valuable ways. I have had moments over the past several months when I wasn’t sure how I was going to “make it,” how I could keep it all together–a roof over our heads, reliable transportation to get Jared and me to work or other places we needed to go, even food in the fridge. I realized that no matter how difficult things might get, I have family who will do whatever they can to assist me or any of my other siblings for that matter.
It has been hard for me to reach out and ask for help. At times it has felt like my current life circumstances have been visited upon me because of decisions I made with my eyes wide open. To some folks watching from the outside they probably didn’t look like the wisest decisions I’d made, still, no one said anything much about them to me beyond a mild, “Are you sure you want to do that?” And now, when looking back in hindsight at where I’ve landed, no one has said to me, “Well, it’s your own fault you ended up where you are…” Partly that’s really not the Chamblee way–we’re mostly too polite and non-confrontational to say anything like that. But the other thing operating here is that we support one another.
While I’ve rarely had more in the way of financial largesse to offer various members of my family, I have tried to offer support in other ways that I could give, particularly of my time. I am a good listener and, ironically, a good helper for people trying to sort through various issues in their lives. It was why I studied to become a life coach–so much of my life had already been spent guiding, mentoring, and advising people that coaching seemed a natural extension of that. So there have been many times over the past few years when I’ve been able to offer sound, practical, emotional support to one or other of my siblings who needed to talk through some of what was going on in their lives. And I know I’ve made a difference.
I cannot imagine what my life would be like without my siblings. Tonight before I rest my head on my pillow and close my eyes to go to sleep I will pray for each of them, wishing good things for each of them, for their partners and their children. I’ve prayed for them throughout my life, so this is not unusual per se. But tonight, name by name I will bring each individual to mind and heart and offer thanksgiving for who they are. I am grateful and blessed to have them in my life. I look forward to the day when I can give back to them for their love and support.
