I See You...

     I recently made a post on a Facebook page called A view from my window.  On the page people post pictures and sometimes even tell stories of where they are, whether at home or traveling, and why the picture might be significant.  For some it's simply the raw beauty of where they live. Some of my favorites have been in the northern countries - Norway, Sweden and Finland - showing breathtaking pictures of fjords with the midnight sun, never quite gone, still glowing on the horizon.  Others are simply foreign or unfamiliar and truly interesting to see - Syria, Morocco, Israel, Germany, Maine, California and more. Some are quite plain and ordinary looking. The view out of an apartment in a nondescript area of the UK, but the person who posted the picture writes that they love the view because it's their first home after their divorce and it represents a new life and hope and a fresh start once again.

    So the post I made told the story of how Kim was diagnosed with a neurological disorder and I had to quit driving because of my sight and our son and DIL asked if we'd be interested in pooling our money, tearing down their garage, and building a small house right behind theirs where we could live and be close for help when needed.  I posted a picture of our patio area showing parts of each home along with the beautiful trees and garden area.

    The response to this post has been mind-boggling! It at 159,000 Likes, over 300 Shares and I've probably had ten different people reach out to me.  The people, all women, have all asked what neurological disorder Kim was diagnosed with because they also have a loved one with a neurological disease. Besides some people trying to find out what other possibilities are out there as they continue to search for even a diagnosis, others it seems just want to connect.  I really think many of these people simply want to know that there are others in this world who have also gone through the pain and suffering that they have watched their loved ones go through because it makes them feel seen and acknowledged. I get that.

    When you're in the midst of suffering or feeling overwhelmed it can be so very comforting to simply know that you're not the only person who has gone through it.  Someone else knows what this feels like.  Someone else has lived through this and learned to tell the tale of resilience and strength. And so I've been trying to answer the questions and share some of our experiences and how we're learning and what we're learning as we journey. It has made me that much more aware of the vast suffering that goes on and what a simple gift it is to say, "I'm so sorry you're going through that.  I know it sucks." Sometimes all we need is that acknowledgement.

~Sally