The Ones Who Walk Beside Us
This Sunday is Father's Day in the United States. It is also my younger daughter's 35th birthday.
I've been thinking a lot about family lately. Not just the family we are born into, but the family we build over time. The people who quietly walk beside us as we stumble, heal, dream, and begin again. My daughter has been one of those people for me.
As I have built the work of juliemlane.com, she has been there in countless ways. Graphic design. Website design. Technical support. Listening to my endless ideas. Helping me shape thoughts that often begin as scribbles in a journal or conversations while driving through the Sierra foothills.
There are moments when I wonder if all of these projects are too much. Redeem Thyself. Empowering Parents Network. 7 Pedals. Writing books. Recording music. Researching. Building communities.
And then there are moments when someone who loves me says, "Keep going." My daughter has been one of those voices.
Nature reminds me that very few things grow alone. Forests are connected underground through vast root systems. Trees share nutrients with one another. Older trees support younger trees through difficult seasons. Scientists call this network the "wood wide web," a hidden system of support that helps forests survive and thrive.
An article from Smithsonian Magazine beautifully explains this interconnectedness and how trees communicate and support one another beneath the forest floor. Because sometimes I think we imagine strength as independence. We imagine success as arriving somewhere entirely on our own. But perhaps strength is allowing others to help carry the dream. I know I have not built these projects alone.
I think about my dad this Father's Day. The quiet ways he supported me. The ways he made me feel special. I think about my daughter and how she continues that legacy of encouragement and belief. And I think about how grateful I am.
The older I get, the more I realize that the people who love us do not walk ahead of us or behind us. They walk beside us. And sometimes, when we forget our own strength, they gently remind us of who we are.
Who has quietly walked beside you and helped you become who you are today?
~ julie
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Note: JM Lane is NOT a mental health professional, nor does she carry a license to practice medicine. Posts, blogs, and content are based on JM Lane’s personal experiences, perceptions, and reflections. By no means does any material convey what others should or should not do.
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