living the dream

Character building days. Days that need copious amounts of caffeine, inflict desire to move to another continent, or cause hearing loss by 5:00pm.

It's one thing to to have a personal character building day but an entirely different thing to walk beside someone who is having one. Not just one day, or one week but months and months of character building.

Feeling helpless and under equipped to shoulder another's burdens. It's hard, down in the ditches, relentless unpaid work. Sometimes it's harder to shoulder the burden of another, not having grace for the situation.

But it's a gift that not many people give. Not many people will stay close when the rain comes. Not many will refuse to give unwanted advice, offer useless solutions, blame, or give false optimism. Those who do take the high road, offer comfort, and make life livable.

Thanks to our current lot in life, I too, will be one of these rare gems. I'll know when to keep my mouth shut, when to offer encouragement, and in the end I'll get to be there when there is praise to be offered.

It's just a shame I can't build character without living it out. One foot in front of the other and realizing that sometimes there are no answers, and that's okay.