Here for you

I would like to think that I am there for my friends and family and for the people I care about. I try my hardest to reach out when I feel that it is needed. I like to check in on friends every now and then to make sure their days are going well, especially when they are having a hard time. I would also like to think that I don't compare my situations to theirs. I try to be understanding, I try to be sympathetic, and I try my best to give what I believe to be the best advice I can give. My mother was diagnosed with dementia at 65 years old. She has not "been there" for me since before my wedding day. My father died when I was 31. To me, I would think most people would want their fathers and their children's grandfather around much longer. I have been through the worst experience anyone can go through (in my opinion) and I have survived. And to top it off, I had a serious back surgery. I believe I have had some hard sh*t in my life in the past few years. Correct me if I am wrong, please. However, I do not want to compare my problems and situations with anyone else's. Everyone has their crappy moments and everyone needs a shoulder to cry on. No matter the situation, I want to be there for the people who were there for me. I want to be there for the people who tried to be there for me without saying something negative or just plain idiotic. You don't know how it feels to be in my shoes. Only people who have been through what I have been through can say they UNDERSTAND how I feel. They can't say they KNOW how I feel. Everyone is different. But to my friends, to the people that have been there for me through thick and thin, and who are one of the reasons why I am alive today, I thank you. You were there for me without question, comparison, or judgement. You were understanding and sympathetic without being callous or cruel. The least I can do is be there for you at your hard moments. The one thing that I can say (I have said it before and I will say it again) is that you will be OK. One day, you will wake up and realize that life is going on and you are OK.