What people live through

Isn't it amazing what people live through?

Yesterday, a couple of friends of mine offered to watch Jessica at rehearsal, then they ran into some problems with their own daughter.  She is manic depressive, and if she doesn't take her medication, she goes manic.  She was wandering downtown all night, looking for her car.  She called her dad in the morning, while he was sitting with Jessi, to tell him that she couldn't find her car.  He went and got her and helped her find her car.  As soon as they found it, she jumped in it and took off.  Last I heard, he didn't know where she was.  Meanwhile, his sweet wife came to rehearsal to sit with Jessi, even though she was barely keeping it together.  I sent her home.  Her husband came back later in the morning to check on us--that was when he told me everything that had been going on.  Again, I sent him home.  Here, they are going through a crisis, and they still take the time to check up on me.

I think of Starbuck and her mom and the cancer treatments.  I think of dear friends of mine who have a 3 year old daughter with a brain tumor, and they have been going through cancer treatments since December.  I know so many people who deal with autism and other permanent disabilities.  Day after day.   Health problems, money problems, failed relationships.  People deal with things that are hard and heavy and so painful!

How easy it would be to let all of this weigh us down!  And yet, we know that is not a viable choice.  We must cry a little, then pick up and move on.  Life is an upstream journey.  We must plant our feet and press against the current.  Step by step.  Day by day.

We can do hard things!