You go girl

This is Michalyn and Alyssa.  They have been friends for about 3 or so years now.  I feel like they became instant friends, the moment that they first sat down to chat.  Like so many of the kid's friends, she has become a part of the family.   At some point, we became Facebook friends, then instagram and maybe Twitter too.  She is one of my biggest fans.  If I put up a photo or status or tweet...I can count on Michalyn to like it.

It always cracked me up last year, that whenever one of Alyssa's friends were featured in my photo of the day,  it was like some kind of honor. They got so excited about it.  I would have thought the opposite...that they would be asking Alyssa why her Mom insisted on plastering their photos all over cyberspace.

This weekend was a long weekend....I had taken Friday off to take my mom to the Dr. and I had Monday off for Martin Luther King Day.  I don't think I actually had time to sit still until sometime last night.  At some point late in the evening on both Saturday and Sunday, I thought of the blog.  If it had been last year, I would have dragged my hind end up to the computer and found some photo to post with a few sentences about it.  But this is different.  A photo...and something else, a story... a thought... I just didn't have it in me.

Sometimes when I sit down to write, I have a thought,   Often times some idea or question has been working on my subconscious all day.  Sometimes I have no idea what I am going to write....until I am staring at a photo and a blank page.  Sometimes I can't type fast enough to capture my thought pattern.  Sometimes I feel like I am pulling the words out of myself.   Nothing seems coherent.  Nothing seems to flow.  So, this past weekend, I was tired and I was pretty sure no one would even notice if I didn't update my blog.  I just didn't have a shred of energy left at the end of the day.

At some point, it must have been Monday, Michalyn texted Alyssa and expressed her concern that there had been no photo or blog published for 2 days straight.  It was partly joking, I know...but all the same...it was encouragement.  Well at least someone is reading it...for some reason.  Someone misses it when it's not here.  Encouragement is such a wonderful thing...it breathes life and purpose into even the most tired of bodies.  I truly appreciated her letting me know that at least she is reading....not sure why, she's a perfectly intelligent young woman, with much more exciting things to do....but it was like hearing the message: "You go girl"  when I really needed it.

As Michalyn starts her second semester at college...I thought I'd throw a little encouragement back her way. I thought I would tell her how proud I am of her......and how proud we Besio's are to have her as our friend. I thought I would remind her  that she is intelligent, witty, caring, focused, talented, enthusiastic, understanding, perceptive.....the list of favorable adjectives is quite long.  I can't imagine anyone that wouldn't stand in line for the chance for her to bestow her friendship upon them.  I know from having daughters around her age....that this time of life can be the best of times and the worst of times...so many decisions to make, so many paths to choose from...and we just don't know where they all lead.

But...that is kind of sappy...so instead I will just say...You go girl!! You got this!! If you should stumble and fall, just get back up...because we've got your back.  We love you, Michalyn!

"A true friend reaches for your hand and touches your heart"