I've never really thought of myself as a strong person.
Not emotionally nor physically.
But my best friend was put into hospital 2 weeks ago with extremely severe depression and since then I've found that I've been spending a lot of time thinking about emotions, how we handle them and how sometimes, we really don't.
I come from a long line of strong women, and I grew up knowing that.
My great grandmother was, by all accounts, an absolute hardarse, and to be honest, you only need to see a photo of her to know she wasn't the type of woman you wanted to cross.
My grandmother, though she doesnt think of herself as anything special, has been through more in her life than anyone else I know and doesnt bat an eyelid when telling you about some of the stories that have imprinted themselves on my mind from shock.
'It's just how it was back then' she says.
And my mother, from the age of 21, sacrificed a large portion of her own life to raise my brother and I as a single parent and make sure we were brought up right and gave us everything she ever could, and often, things she couldn't.
She is still the only person in the world who can look at me when I'm being a depressive drama queen and say (in the gracious words of Mal), "Suck it up princess" and I'll respect it. Because she knows what she's talking about.
I've considered myself in relation to these 3 women many times and every time I've come up lacking in comparison.
Each one of my friends, I similarly look at as a strong woman.
Because of decisions they've made, situations they've gotten through, bravery they've shown or just the way they've dealt with themselves over the time I've known them.
I created this layout last night and while I was looking at it coming together, I thought to myself that I can pick at least one example of real, pure strength shown by each one of these girls just off the top of my head.
Sorry all, the layoutgot nabbed for publishing, so the most makes sense, this is the photo I'm talking about!
And it made me reconsider.
I am in that photo, surrounded by all of these amazing strong women.
Maybe I do have the same strength as all of them them.
Maybe I just have my own brand of it.
It occured to me that I have never really been faced with any challenge that has had an earth shatteringly bad result.
I have had my swings & roundabouts in life. I have been faced with challenges, some of them of seemingly mammoth proportion, and I've always gotten through them relatively unscathed.
But it also occured to me that neither have the majority of my friends.
And maybe the reason for that is not purely incidental, maybe it's because of the strength each of us has shown when faced with these challenges.
Maybe too, its due to the company we keep.
I think everyone needs, at some point, to be able to have someone who will be there to not only let you cry, but cry along with you, someone who will be the rational, almost cynical one, someone who will be the one to tell you to get over it, someone who will be the one to indulge you, someone who will hold the type of strength you strive for, someone who will just listen to you when you need to talk it all out.
And I'm starting to realise that needing those people doesn't make you emotionally weaker than them. No one can get through it all alone.
I'm fortunate to have all of those people in my life, many of them pictured in that layout and next time I'm considering my emotional weaknesses, I'm going to count that as one my biggest strengths.
x
Skye
Not emotionally nor physically.
But my best friend was put into hospital 2 weeks ago with extremely severe depression and since then I've found that I've been spending a lot of time thinking about emotions, how we handle them and how sometimes, we really don't.
I come from a long line of strong women, and I grew up knowing that.
My great grandmother was, by all accounts, an absolute hardarse, and to be honest, you only need to see a photo of her to know she wasn't the type of woman you wanted to cross.
My grandmother, though she doesnt think of herself as anything special, has been through more in her life than anyone else I know and doesnt bat an eyelid when telling you about some of the stories that have imprinted themselves on my mind from shock.
'It's just how it was back then' she says.
And my mother, from the age of 21, sacrificed a large portion of her own life to raise my brother and I as a single parent and make sure we were brought up right and gave us everything she ever could, and often, things she couldn't.
She is still the only person in the world who can look at me when I'm being a depressive drama queen and say (in the gracious words of Mal), "Suck it up princess" and I'll respect it. Because she knows what she's talking about.
I've considered myself in relation to these 3 women many times and every time I've come up lacking in comparison.
Each one of my friends, I similarly look at as a strong woman.
Because of decisions they've made, situations they've gotten through, bravery they've shown or just the way they've dealt with themselves over the time I've known them.
I created this layout last night and while I was looking at it coming together, I thought to myself that I can pick at least one example of real, pure strength shown by each one of these girls just off the top of my head.
Sorry all, the layoutgot nabbed for publishing, so the most makes sense, this is the photo I'm talking about!
And it made me reconsider.
I am in that photo, surrounded by all of these amazing strong women.
Maybe I do have the same strength as all of them them.
Maybe I just have my own brand of it.
It occured to me that I have never really been faced with any challenge that has had an earth shatteringly bad result.
I have had my swings & roundabouts in life. I have been faced with challenges, some of them of seemingly mammoth proportion, and I've always gotten through them relatively unscathed.
But it also occured to me that neither have the majority of my friends.
And maybe the reason for that is not purely incidental, maybe it's because of the strength each of us has shown when faced with these challenges.
Maybe too, its due to the company we keep.
I think everyone needs, at some point, to be able to have someone who will be there to not only let you cry, but cry along with you, someone who will be the rational, almost cynical one, someone who will be the one to tell you to get over it, someone who will be the one to indulge you, someone who will hold the type of strength you strive for, someone who will just listen to you when you need to talk it all out.
And I'm starting to realise that needing those people doesn't make you emotionally weaker than them. No one can get through it all alone.
I'm fortunate to have all of those people in my life, many of them pictured in that layout and next time I'm considering my emotional weaknesses, I'm going to count that as one my biggest strengths.
x
Skye
this is a gorgeous post honey!! you write so well and i totally know what you mean - reading this today was perfect timing - and you are a strong amazing woman! xx
Posted by: Alison | 05/31/2010 at 08:26 PM
Beautifully written post Skye! Gorgeous LO too.
Posted by: Catie | 05/31/2010 at 08:32 PM
Gorgeous layout Skye and very heartfelt!!
P.S Your Banner up the top is confusing me! It says "This is my just doing my thing" should it be, "This is ME?
xo
Posted by: Crystal Bowman | 05/31/2010 at 08:37 PM
awesome post chicky...Tatum xx
Posted by: tatumw | 05/31/2010 at 09:23 PM
Skye,
you never cease to inspire me....
You have so many talents (its just not fair lol).
I have been on a rocky road these last couple of months (like your friend), however I know I am back on my own path and this post is a fabulous affirmation to say the least. You have said everything I was thinking and am unable to put into words.
Your strength is amazing!!
JK
Posted by: Jo Kinder | 06/01/2010 at 05:26 AM
...guessing I'm the cynical one?
Posted by: Jess'ca | 06/01/2010 at 06:00 PM