Yes, I know what today is. I have never forgotten. And it's also Sheeba's 3rd birthday. I miss her so much, but it is the best thing for her that we gave her away. She gets walked every morning, she gets lots of love and attention, and she gets to run free in the fenced back yard. But I miss her. But I'm also happy for her. I could go see her, but I don't want to confuse her, so I don't. It's best this way.
Sometimes when we don't know what to say in relationships, we stay away. We don't say anything. But I did do 'another' snarky comment yesterday to my male boss. My favorite boss, a female, checked on me Friday (after the oral surgery on Thursday) via text. Just a "how are you doing?". She text'd me again on Sunday with the same question. I felt loved and cared for. Not just because she is my boss, and a close friend, but because she cared enough to inquire. Unlike my male boss. He didn't say anything to me Wednesday before I took off work. Nothing from him at all until yesterday afternoon, when I finally sent him a note on Teams, asking him questions about a meeting he wanted me to make.
He had already sent me 7-8 meetings to schedule while I was off work - and I was struggling to get all the leadership in the one he was wanting... so I sent him a Teams message. And then, when I finished getting the information I needed, I responded back, in all capital letters, "BY THE WAY, I AM DOING VERY WELL, THANK YOU." He responded back something about did I drool a lot after the visit to the dentist. That didn't set too well, and I informed him again that I had oral surgery, NOT a dentist visit, and no, I didn't drool. As I thought about our banter back and forth later last night, I have the urge to send him a note that says
"Relationships are more important than work."
You may, or may not, agree with that statement. This 'new guy' and I have shared many things, personal family things, thoughts, as we have gotten to know each other since he started as my boss last August. But for him not to 'wish me well' on Wednesday, and then not even to send me a text or email (he even has my personal email) to touch base on how I was doing.... and I worked all day yesterday (it was nearly 4PM when we had this conversation)..... without hearing one word from him until I contacted him direct re this meeting, is unacceptable. I teased that he just had to volunteer me to pull the meeting together (after he told me the big boss was wanting the meeting) and he came back with "better you than me"... and then laughed it off with something about "I better shut up after that comment". Uh yeah!
But that statement has stayed in my mind during the night and as I was thinking about what to write tis morning, it came back to me. Relationships are more important than work. And I'm not just talking about work relationships, although that is where that statement was derived from. A good working relationship is vital to a positive and creative environment. You know where you stand. You know what is expected. There is freedom in expressing yourself because you know how it will be taken. Without that relationship build-up, it's "just a job". In the role that I have as an executive assistant, I have to be personable and friendly. I deal with way too many people who aren't. It's easier to send a note back that says "happy to help" and then do it, than it does to ignore the request as it was.
Relationships in family are also important. I admit, I was happy that all three of my children inquired about me over the weekend. I didn't ask them to, but I was grateful they did. Even if it was unintentional as they had other things they wanted to discuss (in some cases), they did stop to ask. Well, I think all three did... one may not have.... but irrelevant. They touched base all the same weekend - and it felt good. Regardless of the reasons they had.
I've tried very hard over the years not to hang over my children's lives as they married and moved on with their lives. Some of that is to my detriment, I am afraid. I'm sure their spouses appreciated the fact I wasn't calling all the time. But I also got left out of a lot of things because I feel we lost what I had hoped we had - that relationship of closeness. I want to always be there for my children.... in prayer I can be there. And that is how I stay close. There are some people that if their child doesn't call them every few days, they are on the phone to them! I never wanted to be that person. I want my children to know I'm here... whether it is personally, or I'm touching their lives in prayer.
Proverbs 18:4 (NKJV) "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than brother."
We can have many friends (relationships) in our lives, but our very best Friend, who will never leave us nor forsake us, is Jesus. He is the ONLY One in whom we can depend to stick with us through good times and bad. Through the times that we do things our way. Through the times we fall on our faces. Through the good times in life when things are going so well.....we even forget about Him.
But Jesus is always there.
Right beside us.
Waiting.
For me, for you.
He's the best Friend ever.
Jesus.
