u gotta have friends

the last day and a half have been a crazy whirlwind of activity.....i am amazed at the amount of support that the people in our community have come up with for our friends that lost their home....its times like these that really make you think about what is important...i'm amazed by frank and lori's resilience - and by their overwhelming gratitude for all that has been done on their behalf.....standing by frank today, he looked at me and said - i thought i had lost everything, but i realized that i didn't really lose anything important - i have my family and i never really knew how many friends i had....

its a stark reminder that its the PEOPLE in our lives that make it worth living....and when you surround yourself with good people, you are never truly in need....one of my very favorite quotes of all time is:

to me THAT is exactly true....and family doesn't always mean those related by blood....its the people who you've brought into your heart - or who have taken you into theirs......and you may not realize how big your family really is until tragedy strikes....but you can bet that they will be there when you need them.....hopefully they will be there when times are good as well, but like most families, you know you can count on them when the chips are down.....we are fortunate here to live in a community that really is like a large extended family....sure, we fight amongst ourselves - we talk about each other - we bitch about the way things are done.....but when it all comes down to it, where it REALLY matters - we love each other - and we never want to see anyone hurting.

what this community did in less than 2 days, was give back HOPE to a family that desperately needed it....yes, we replaced ITEMS in their temporary residence, but more importantly we reaffirmed that they were not ALONE in this struggle - that no matter how dark it gets, there is ALWAYS a silver lining...sometimes its much harder to see than others but it IS there...and that's what family does....family picks you up when you fall

I have always looked at life as a voyage, mostly wonderful, sometimes frightening. In my family and friends I have discovered treasure more valuable than gold.— Jimmy Buffet

it's interesting to me how this stuff always comes full circle.....kris' birthday was saturday night and as usual we had a good time with some of our friends and family.....but the funniest thing that struck me about the party was that my parents showed up with their best friends....my "aunt" jean and "uncle" ronnie.....they have been friends with my parents for the best part of 50 years....and they STILL rock!  they are still there for each other thru all the good times and bad - because they are friends....AND family! i can only hope that 20 years from now i can still say the same thing....that i am still having fun with some of the same people from this past weekend!!  i absolutely love that example....and just goes to show you how your family grows stronger over time...

it doesn't matter how old you are - or how young you are for that matter....it only matters that you show the people that matter to you how much they mean to you....and while circumstances change and friendships change and evolve, once you have made the connection, it never really goes away....it may  lengthen or strain - but it never breaks....its a part of your history and a part of your heart....your relationships basically ARE who you are!!  and the good news is there is always room for more.....your family can never be too big, or too much (even tho it may seem like it at times :)  and while i'm super glad that there isn't often a weekend like this one with its ups and downs, i am VERY glad to see first hand how amazing my friends and family and extended family and community are....

There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.- Marshall McLuhan

why do i like that quote?  because to me it not only means that we are in this thing together, but it also means that we all have to WORK for it.....its not always easy or convenient to be a friend....or family.....but we have to do it anyway!!  and we have to do it NOW.....we laugh in our house about the "if not now, when?" theme.....because i want stuff done literally 5 seconds after the thought has left my mind....and kris dwells on shit forever - probably why we USUALLY get stuff done quickly but with a bit more thought than i would put into it....i digress yet again, but mostly just to prove my point.....we all have our strengths...and weaknesses.  we NEED each other to make good things happen - for ourselves, each other and our community at large....

there is not ONE SINGLE PERSON that could have made anything happen to help frank and lori....but together we can and did move a small mountain.....when we work together, when we count on each other and trust each other to do our jobs...when we pull together and put aside our own selfish interests for just a minute - we truly can do ANYTHING!!

i find it inspiring....and humbling....and i'm proud to be a part of such an incredible family....all the way around....

i hope you all feel it too!!