brave girl? indeed...

each day i receive "daily truth" messages from the brave girls' club. messages to uplife, inspire, motivate...all that. call it coincidence, kismet, whatever, but these messages always seem to contain just the right words at just the right time.

today too, at just the right time. i stood in the shower this morning, water pouring over me, hot, hotter, hotter even yet, trying to file away the stress i've been carrying over these past few weeks. as i stood there in steamy meditation i contemplated the worries fogging up my mind. i thought about how people my age are often described as being the "sandwich generation." right now i feel less like the filling of a sandwich and more an object caught in the grip of a vice.

i wrapped my arms around my head, cradling my addled mind and let the hot water pour over me. reminding myself once more, "you'll get through this. keep it in perspective. you are strong and things will be okay." recognized as well that i too have a breaking point and that it's important to set boundaries for myself. boundaries that keep me healthy and sane.

eventually i had to shut the water off and leave the sanctity of my shower stall. face the day and everything that comes with it. move forward with faith that everything will be okay. remind myself to "let go and let god." when i popped open my work email the following message was waiting for me. again, perfect words at just the right time. so perfect that i wanted to share them with you...

Dear Sunshiny Girl,

You are so much stronger than you think you are. You are so much smarter than you think you are. You are SO MUCH more beautiful than you think you are. You are absolutely, positively more courageous than you ever could have dreamed you are.And...even when you don't feel like you can go one more step.....something miraculous always happens to make sure that you do....making you even more incredible than you knew you were. And...every day, you learn more, you love more, you find more reasons to be grateful...

Don't let those little doubts hold you back any longer...and please don't even LISTEN to the big doubts. Move forward with peace, happiness and assurance....everything really IS on your side as soon as you decide to hold hands with it.xo

good words for me this morning. perhaps for you too. i'm going to plan on having a darn good weekend. tomorrow morning the grandbabies have soccer and flag football games. there's lots of fun to be had in that - watching three year olds play soccer and five year olds play football. then we'll attend a welcome home party for our friends' son who has just returned from a second tour of duty in iraq. life is really good. hot showers, wise words, good friends and the sound of children playing.

happy friday, happy weekend

-t.

p.s. to learn more about the brave girls club visit http://www.bravegirlsclub.com/

attending a brave girls camp is definitely in my future plans

my friend melissa found brave girls first and shared it with me

p.s.s. go chicago blackhawks - beat those flyers!