Photo by Rhori
Developing a good strong support system is essential to surviving this roller coaster of life. Sometimes people are already in place in your life that you can lean on and ask for help from. Other times your situation or challenge presents you with opportunities to meet people in your similar boat. No matter what, making sure you have people to lean on will be such a relief if you are dealing with adversity.
Asking for help can be a very difficult if not impossible task for some people. After all doesn’t asking for help signify a weakness? That feeling of being weak and needing help could not be further from the truth. Everyone needs help now and again and realizing not only that you need support but that you are not afraid to reach out shows inner strength.
During our journey with cancer before our son relapsed we did “it” all alone per say. We just went about our life not sharing much of the details, hiring people to keep our other child so I could be at the clinic with Mason and trying to be “normal”. It was pretty easy since Mason only lost his hair for a few months and otherwise looked healthy during treatment.
After the relapse I realized quickly that we could not do it all alone and in addition I needed to reach out to people beyond my circle of friends and family to find support. Thanks to a great friend I was introduced to Team in Training. I found an amazing support system of people who embraced our family and Mason’s story. Team in Training became an outlet for me – a source to lean on when I was struggling. The people I met are selfless, passionate about the cause and are training and raising funds for blood cancer so no other families have to endure what we have the past five years.
As we are nearing the end of our treatment journey I pray that I can do less “leaning on” others and more being there for others to lean on. It brings me joy to be able to support people (not that wish anyone to need support in life) but when I can help someone through a difficult time I am happy to do so.
The lyrics of this Mental Music Monday really say it all:
“Lean on me, when your not strong,
I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on
for it won’t be long, before I’m gonna
need somebody to lean on. Call on
me brother, when you need a hand,
cuz we ALL need somebody to lean on.”
This version of Lean on Me comes from the CD Hope for Haiti Now which is a great collaboration of inspiring music from various artists. It was a small thing I could do to help out as 100% of the proceeds go to Haiti.
So reach out and allow people to lean on you but don’t forget to lean on others when you need to. Finding that balance it so essential and no “stress” or challenge is too small to not reach out on lean on others to help you find strength.
Have a great day~
Posted on Monday, 8th February 2010 by Catherine
My name is Catherine and I am a wife, mother to 3 small people, a runner, author and speaker. I will bring you simple, healthy ideas that will enable you to cope with the (big and small) stresses of life. I think it is important to realize that we may not choose the shoes we wear, we do have to learn to “walk” in them and should try and make the best of them. 
