Don’t you see I’m fighting here?!
My calm exterior and lack of war paint must have fooled you. But even as the battle gets harder and I start to crack, you still don’t seem to notice.
But then again, I don’t always notice your battlefront either.
To be fair, neither of us are mind readers. We go about our days, entrenched in our own responsibilities. You have your orders and I have mine. We go to war, fighting for our families, wrestling to stay in control of our emotions. Skirmishes with to-do lists, unruly kids, and embarrassing situations.
So often we come back tired. Wounded. Wishing that life’s battles came with a pause button like the ones on our TV screens, so we could refresh and regroup.
But they don’t.
You’d think with all our battle cries and calls-to-arms, we’d recognize our fellow soldiers. Different war zones and mismatched uniforms—so I’m sorry, I haven’t seen you. I can feel incredulous when you don’t see me fighting … bleeding … needing your help. But I’ve overlooked you too.
To the mom juggling her kids and cleaning up catastrophes at the Chick Fil A. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize that you may need … want … crave … just a bit of help. To the working woman, working to balance it all, I’m sorry I’ve neglected to call to check in. To the friend hurting, the stranger wishing for a friendly face, and the family member grappling with life sans backup. I’m sorry.
I see you’re fighting.
I can’t promise I’ll always be there. Or even know what to say.
Some days, my own fights will be too much to me, and I still may overlook your struggles.
But I promise. I’m paying more attention.
The following quote is attributed to so many different sources, but even without an author, its words ring true.
Keep it up.
Press onward.
If you feel like I’m still not paying close enough attention, please reach out.
You’re a warrior and you deserve support.
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