Renne Posted on her blog "i don't do very well with letting people help me. i would rather die trying to do it myself than graciously accept another person's kindness. tonight was a great lesson in friendship, and in letting go of my pride and stubborn independence. thank you leslie, rose, and will. you made our christmas beautiful, and you taught me a lot about letting myself be loved"

This got me thinking about the journey I have been on this year. Last Christmas I spent the day alone waiting to go to the hospital the next morning to have the bone I shattered a few days before replaced. I was in pain and I really couldn't move around. The meds had me feeling rather sick. I was very unhappy and I was very scared. I waited until late it was after 9pm before I called a friend just to share how I was feeling. She surprised me by hopping into her car a driving over here to help me prepare for my stay at the hospital and just to come and be a friend and love me.

I am not very good at letting people help me, but I am better at it. This past year of not being able to do for myself and having to let others help me has taught me a lot.

First off, I know who my friends are. They are the ones who showed up and kept showing up. They did so much for me when I couldn't do it for myself. They made me rely on them. Sometimes they just came to make me laugh. They showed up when my family did not.

I learned to ask them for the things that I need. Simple things like changing my sheets where so far out of my ability and yet it needed to be done.

This year I am walking but there are still somethings I just can't do. Instead of going without, I asked. Thanks to kindness of people who care. I have a tree it is up and it has all the trimmings on it that I want. The star from the tree of my childhood is sitting on the top. It is just perfect.

When I am sad or lonely I call a friend instead of sitting by myself. Life is a far less lonely and sad place when you let others love you and when you let them into your life.