Walking Alone Together

"I know why families were created, 

with all their imperfections.

They humanize you. They are made to make 

you forget yourself occasionally, so that

the beautiful balance of life is not destroyed."

- Anais Nin

This is a recent picture of my cousin, Julie, and me. We are six months apart in age (I'm older). She is one of my dearest friends and certainly the longest.

We have much in common: world views, eye color, our mothers are sisters, love of sweets, on and on the list goes.

On a day-to-day basis our family lives are very different. One could say she is living the "normal" of the two lives - three busy children, a husband with a demanding career, a part-time job of her own, a house to run, parents to take care of, property to maintain, friends in crisis, etc.

Yesterday Michelle O'Neil left a comment on one of my blog posts, "No one can truly know what it is like to walk in your shoes. We each walk our own path but I hold sacred space beside you, as we walk alone together."

When I read that I thought about all my friends, blog friends, acquaintances, etc., but mostly I thought about Julie, and just how true that is. No matter how different our lives are on the outside, inside we are together, walking. Walking together. Forever.