Who Helps You be You?

Do you have a support system in your life?  Do you think it's necessary?

I had a pretty tough life growing up and that can really harden you.  Especially when you've been let down time and again by people you thought loved you or should have been there for you.

There was a time when I really shut off the rest of the world and tried to do everything by myself (with occasional requests to God).  I learned at an early age that people rarely followed through on what they said and it was better to just understand you couldn't rely on them, than it was to expect anything from them.

It turns out that way of living is very draining, stressful, and self-destructive.  But what other choice was there?  You can't very well make people care about you and become dependable.

It's funny though, because no matter how bad things got in my life they never went completely over the edge.  I always ended up being okay, even if I was barely hanging on.

Then, as cheesy as it sounds, one day I realized that God was really there the whole time.  He always had His eye on me and His hand wrapped around me.  He never let me fall all the way to the bottom without guiding me down gently, so that I could still get back up again.

Once I realized that, my whole outlook on life started to change.  It was a gradual change, but real nonetheless.

I started feeling different about my life, my circumstances, and the possibilities my life had to offer.  Over time my attitude changed, and with it so did my friendships and the other relationships in my life.  This didn't happen all at once, but it did happen.

One day I decided that I was going to be happy.  Again, I know how cheesy this sounds, but it's the absolute truth.  I decided that I was going to be happy and I took steps to make that happen.

It's been a long, complicated journey, but here I am pursuing my happiness and trying to share it with others around me.  Oh, I'm still human and I still have doubt, fears, and bad days just like everyone else.  But, those things don't determine my happiness or my path in life.

In a couple weeks, I'm going to marry my best friend, who loves me unconditionally with all his heart.  I have friends who embrace me with the love of a mother, grandmother, sister or girlfriend.  I have a church family who loves and supports me as if I've been a part of their family my whole life.  I have a God who fills me up with true happiness and wonder and love.

All of these people help me be me.  I love them all so much and I'm grateful for the impact that each one continues to make on my life!

Who helps you be you?