Kelly and What She Doesn’t Know

They were strangers the first time I “met” them. Today I find my adventures enriched, inspired and filled with laughter because of them…  

It started with Amy and Her #Sixthings.  

Then it was Kir and Her Cupcakes

Minky {Moo}’s took her turn with her Instagram and
Rubber Chicken Madness’s  has shared with her nuggets 
Today it is Kelly from Mom Got Blog’s turn and I’m telling her what she doesn’t know…
I’ve been talking to strangers and what do you know I’ve made some friends!  
. . . . . .

Three posts… three posts in one week (a lot for me and I was pretty proud of myself), two days in bed with a terrible head cold and a husband also sick has left me feeling really uninspired, not very motivated and a bit lost for more ideas.  Then I remembered Kelly!
For three years I have bought and worn the same style of running shoe. What can I say, when I like something I stick with it.  Three weeks ago I decided to finally run in my new, different style and design shoes (huge deal for me).

 

I did my warm up and began my run like I always do.  It was the weekend so my plan was to go for a long run (Laverne’s definition of long run- running for 40-50 minutes and running 3+miles if I’m lucky…it is what it is people).  I watched some action adventures sci-fi movie while I ran.  My pace felt so good I picked it up.  My running started to feel effortless.  My mind began to wander.  Ideas began to flow and dance in my head.
This was also the week Kelly had been struggling with her writing.  The holidays were over, everyone was settling into their routines and Kelly was stuck.  She had nothing.  I could tell her writing was feeling forced to her.  Her struggles pained me.  Her struggles, her feelings of being stuck became part of the dance of ideas that flowed in my head. 

You see Kelly has this thing and she doesn’t even know it.  It really isn’t about her writing (well she is a totally dinamo at that but to me she is so much more).  To me it is about the things she doesn’t write.  

Last Thanksgiving her family ran in a 5k Turkey trot…. so cool!  
Kelly getting sassy with her picture taking.  

Kelly ate her way through Washington DC. 
 I think I gained 5lbs just following all the pictures of the food she ate.
 Kelly can cook.  She has some serious chief skills.  
I want to come over to Kelly’s house every night so she can cook for me!


 See what I mean!  YUMMY!!!


And then there is Kelly just being Kelly!  

You see Kelly, sometimes it is not the words that inspire, make an impact or get peoples attention…. it is YOU!  Your unending kindness toward me from the small act of including me in an Instagram tag to a response to a tweet, Facebook response or comment your actions are what make a difference to me and what I notice.  Your actions are what inspire and you didn’t even know it! 

This day…the day I ran in my new shoes was the best run I had ever had.  It was the first time running had ever felt effortless to me and smooth.  The only day I have ever felt like a runner. The day running changed for me.  And the first person I thought of sharing this news with as when I got off the treadmill was Kelly. She was true to form… supportive and encouraging! 

All pictures used were used with Kelly’s permission

I Hate You

You take away everything beautiful their life.  You blind them to the glow their life has.  You numb them to the warmth, love and joy their life floods them with.  Trapped in the darkness you make them immobile unable to move.  You trap them while you fill their heads with lies and fear.

I hate you.  I hate what you do to friends.  I hate what you did to my mother. I hate what you steal from them.  I hate the place you take them.  I hate how you make them feel.  

I hate that I feel helpless against you.  I hate that there is nothing I can do to stop you.  I hate that I do not know how to help my friends.  I hate that that makes me feel useless and helpless.  I hate that I my heart aches for them, that I worry for them.  

I’ve decided I have spent enough years hating you.  Hating what you did to my mother and now hating what you do to friends.  I will not hate you anymore.  You are a disease.  I will do what we do with all diseases, fight!

A note written to a friend.
It was sent to her so she never forgets

I will listen when they need me.  I will lend a hand when they need it.  Most of all I will remind them of their awesomeness.  I will remind them of life, its light and its greatness.  I will remind them they are strong.  I will remind them they are not the disease.  I will remind them it can be beat!

I wrote this post after talking to a friend on the phone.  I was so moved and inspired after this conversation with this friend, a friend who fights depression, that I had to write.  She inspired this post.  The note is written for her. The words are for all of the other men and woman who fight mental illness everyday.