It's Nice to Have Friends!

I am blessed to have such good friends!

One of the realities of working for a non-profit is that sometimes you work really hard for long hours. And it's worth it because you know the value of what you do...if not, you should probably be doing something else.
 Sometimes it gets hard to remember why you do what you do.  Lately I've been feeling a bit put-upon and ragged around the edges...I usually try to keep it to myself, but my friends know.

Without my asking, this is what I've been gifted with the past 3 weeks:

• The friend from Bible study who e-mailed out of the blue to volunteer to come to the office and help out gave me the gift of her time and attention.  She spent the day stuffing envelopes while I worked on catching up with data entry. (A second Bible study friend would have joined us, but was ill - and we were glad she stayed home to get better -and that she did not share her germs  that's the gift of health.)
• The friend who bought my lunch and listened to me let off steam on a Saturday gave me the gift of food and attention. 
• The friend who called to find me just getting ready to leave the office at 7 pm, and drove across town so that I would not have to walk (a mile and a half - uphill...really). She also offered food, but I had put pork ribs and sweet potatoes in the slow cooker before I left the house. We sat in her truck for an hour while she gave me her attention. (Do you see the theme here?)

• The dear friend from far away, who mailed me a gift certificate for a massage sent me the gift of health and comfort...I am so looking forward to getting to use it! I'm going for the ultimate 2 hour craniosacral session with the extra aromatherapy option. 

Aside from the unexpected generosity of these wonderful people, the thing that I noticed was that I initially started to decline each gift..."Oh, don't let me take up your time."...  "You don't have to treat me." ...  "I don't want to be a bother."... "That's too much to spend on me."

I almost did the same thing when another distant friend packed up all her yarn and knitting needles to send me last year. As I use the beautiful wool and the bamboo needles that I would not have purchased for myself, I am ever grateful that she thought of me, and that I did not turn down the offer.

Thankfully, I over road my first response and accepted all the gifts in the spirit in which they were offered.  I am very grateful, and I am truly blessed to have friends who know me so well that I don't have to ask for their love and support - the very best gifts of all.