Deep breath

I have not written anything for some time and I have felt it everyday since my last post. I carry that in my shoulders and it constantly weighs on my mind. A couple of weeks ago, our oldest son away at college called trying to work out things for this coming summer with summer classes, living arrangments, job options, etc. He seemed panicked because he was not sure how it was going to all work and how he was going to pay for all of it. He said he wished he could go back and do things differently. I told him that he was learning from past experiences. I am a planner by nature, so I asked him how difficult it can be to plan around life, which is totally unpredicatable. He thought that would be pretty hard to do. At the end, I told him I would not change one thing in my life after almost 42 years of living it. After we hung up the phone, he sent me a text that made me cry. He thanked me for talking to him and how he felt better and wanted us, his parents, to know how much he really does appreciate us even though he doesn't say it or show it. That was my high for the week.
Recently, I have been dealing with some things with another family member that require more time and effort that have left me strained, stressed, and upset. Those issues were not planned but are here none the less. Emotions have run high with sometimes hurtful words being said. These issues have brought me down.
I had lunch yesterday with a very good friend who listened to what was going on, asked what the plan was, and gave me a hug before we parted. She does not know how much the hug meant to me, knowing that she was there for me. Not because she had to be, but because she chose to be.
The purpose of this post is to remind ourselves that with the good comes the bad and we have to stop and take a deep breath every once in awhile. It is calming and helps replenish what we need to focus on going forward. I can tell you, I have taken many deep breaths lately. Have a great weekend.