Sometimes an "I know" is all we need...

When I gave birth the very first time and was filled with overwhelming and unimaginable love ...a friend visited me in the hospital and all she said was "I know".

When I struggled with potty training my oldest son and thought I was going to have to send him to college in diapers...my entire MOPS table said "I know".

When my kids were 5 and 19 months and I found out I was pregnant with twins I cried for days and days feeling completely overwhelmed...I met another mom with similar aged kids at COSTCO and she said "I know".  

Somehow, knowing that we aren't alone brings comfort.  Walking through life with people that understand soothes our souls.  God wants us to live in community.  He wants us to use our experiences to help one another.  Through the years I have found so much comfort in knowing others that can honestly say "I know".

After Nate died, I felt like NO ONE knew.  Like NO ONE understood.  Like NO ONE cared.  It was very lonely.  Very isolating.  I searched for a community of people that could say "I know".  I didn't know about this amazing blogging community back then.  It was hard to find people that understood.  Much comfort and healing came from being with people that could offer me those two words.  That's all it took.  Two words to completely turn my day around.

This week I received an email from a family member that was hurtful.  I realize that it was written from a place of misunderstanding.  From someone that can't say "I know".  From someone that has absolutely no clue about who I am at this point in my life.  From someone that doesn't even want to try.

It's in these situations that I long for someone to say "I know".  For the comfort and the reassurance that my path has been walked before and that I am not alone.  But there are few that do know.  There are few that understand.  That part is hard.

However, it is this struggle that magnifies the blessings.  True blessings that are abundantly present in my life. This week as we give thanks, I pray that I am able to put that at the forefront of my thoughts and ditch the conflict.  Conflict sucks!  Can I get an "I KNOW" for that one?!!!!!