Still Us
In January 2004, I had a new baby and a 3 year old. I had taken 6 months off work and was home with the two of them. I didn’t know anyone else with children, the holidays were over, winter felt endless, and I was losing it a little.
One day I picked up a copy of Tulsa Kids and saw an event for a moms’ club. I decided to go. Of course I was nervous walking in, but one woman came right up and started talking to me. She had a son close to my older son’s age and was so warm that I immediately felt grateful I had come.
The Gift of Being Understood
Our friends from back home visited us this past week, and it was fantastic.
They were two of our closest friends when we moved away. We still keep in touch, but life keeps moving for all of us. We’ve all made new close friends in our own places, but when we see each other, it feels like no time has passed.
Having them here was so special. There had been several close calls over the years, but they had never been here to visit us in Sevilla. One of my favorite things about people visiting us from back home is getting to show them why we chose this life. It’s one thing to explain it when we visit. It’s another to walk through Sevilla together, eat the food, see the beauty, experience the lifestyle, and meet the community we’ve built here.
What It Feels Like to Be Truly Heard
It is striking how refreshing it can feel when someone truly cares about what you are saying and feeling and responds with real presence and thoughtfulness.
I was talking to a friend recently, and I felt this warmth and surprise at how fully present she was with me in the moment. It made me realize how novel that felt.
