How much does someone mean to you? How far are you willing to go? What level of discomfort are you willing to experience for their sake?
For those who know me well, I don’t often show my tenderest feelings towards my dear ones. Through good food and support, they learn to know how much they mean to me. I show my love by overcoming fears and disadvantages to ensure I can support them in any way.
Recently, a dear friend gave birth to her second son, and following through on a promise I made to her long ago, I traveled to Hawaii, hopping island to island, first on a C-12 then on a C-17, to help her continue to build a new life for her and her family.
I cooked. I cleaned. I did laundry. I entertained her oldest son. I grocery shopped and ensured the freezer had “emergency lunches” and cookies for quick-baking before I left.
But best of all, I got to burp, soothe and care for her son Zylas. As soon as she finished nursing, I was there to grab him up and throw him on my shoulder and burp him. I had some valuable training in the art of cleaning an infant boy’s bum-bum and other interesting areas, greeted with lots of farts and grunts. What a joy!
And in the quiet moments, when her husband and oldest son were away or off playing legos, Dina and I got to share how much we mean to each other.
This month has been a wonderful month of giving from me to those I love. I not only traveled to see a friend, I also researched and put together a diet plan for my husband so he can loose weight and build strength to be competitive in a cycling competition in September, which is his 2017 new year’s resolution. Super green smoothies and home-cured salmon! I setup a binder with all of his new recipes and when to eat what so he could maintain his diet while I was gone.
One more! Another dear friend is expecting her fourth child and earlier this month I wanted to bring them dinner to give them a delicious meal full of love, as she cannot even stand up half the time due to morning sickness. And, although they desired to come to my house instead (a turn of events) I welcomed them for some waterplay, water baloons, watermelon and not-so-tasty, but fulfilling dinner. (They can’t all be winners.)
Am I bragging? Absolutely. Because I’m proud to be this person. I’m proud of my friends.
Tasha Acosta 