Just say 'Hello'

 

*

I have never had someone up close and personal in my life - as in they are in my daily life or they were the person I was closest to - go through something like this.

But my best friend's mom had surgery a few weeks ago and I immediately thought 'what can I do?'

It wasn't going to make her heal faster, or make her follow-up PT sessions easier. Nothing I could do would 'make it go away.' But I wanted to do something. 

When I had surgery last fall I got several nice things sent to me and one of them was a gift from Spoonful of Comfort, which I immediately ordered for her mom. 

(I get nothing if you purchase one of these for someone but it is a great company. I wish I'd thought of it.)

However, for the most part food is not my love language (except cake of the gluten free variety). If you're up to speed you know about my auto immune disease which took gluten out of my life. My food allergies list is three pages long. (yep, I'm as fun as I sound).

I already told you I don't have a green thumb. It's remarkable I've kept Oliver alive. Nothing else stands a chance. And that's a succulent. That thing doesn't even need much water and I'd manage to end it.

It's natural when we hear someone is suffering to ask 'What can I do?' and I quickly learned I needed to figure out an answer to that fast or I was going to end up with plants, cassaroles, and things to keep me busy I'd never touch. 

So that's my answer: Just say 'Hello'

Whether you text me, email me, message me online (because we work together), call me, offer to take a walk with me (assuming you're local), or drop a card in the mail (assuming you have my address which I'll give you if you ask but I'm not putting it here obv.) that's going to light me up and improve the chances my day will go better.

And so many of you reading this blog are already doing that. So I guess my reason for writing this is not to specifically give those of you in my life advice on what to do for me. It's more a gentle reminder that when people hurt, they are lonely, sad, lost, or life isn't making any sense whatsoever, a 'hello' (which can be totally free of cost and generally requires a light lift) will likely make a very significant difference. 

It might turn the light back on that day, in fact.

*I mean, if you have eight million dollars...I'll take some of that too. You don't need to bring me any coffee though. I'm allergic to that as well.