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excelling FAMILY growth support groups support structure support system

SUPPORT SYSTEMS

The strain from today’s job hit hard as my feet stepped on the stairs leading
to my apartment. My legs felt like it had bags tied to them and my shoulders
felt like bricks; I am simply exhausted! For the umpteenth time today, I wonder
why work can’t just be fun and easy. Today was exceptionally long and
stressful; the long meetings filled with verbal assault of non- achievement of
KPIs didn’t help either. My spirit felt dampened and my soul longed for an
escape. Yeah..! Escape to peace, fun, anything interesting, and positively
challenging.

Returning home at the end of each day is my good and welcomed escape. My lovely
kids make it even more exciting for me as they have, in their own way, assigned
a ‘return time’ to each member of the family, especially on work days. At my
first knock on the door, I could hear their excited voices – “someone is
at the door!” My eldest child yells. Then in unison, they shout “mummy,
mummy” (while I’m still waiting for the door to be opened). Just listening
to these melodious voices, gives me a surge of strength as I begin to feel
cheerful and eager for the anticipated hugs and welcome chit chats from my
kids. I often wonder what my life would be without the support system called
family, especially my little ones, and on a day like this.

In my days of single, sassy and satisfied (who read that book by Michelle
Hammond?) when I come home tired and drained, I usually
head off to my room and slump head on to the bed fully dressed.
Am glad it’s different now as my family has become the
needful emotional bank whose daily support and love pulls me through each day.

It is true that a closely knitted family translates to a great community, which
eventually blossoms into a virile society. The family unit is a great source of
emotional love, security and protection. A family must not necessarily be made
up of parents and children. It could be a group of people that you connect deeply
with; some place you experience unwavering support and a sense of security. In
every phase of life, we need some form of this support.

Today, we have support groups, associations and even online communities of
single mothers, abused women, new mothers, working mothers, stay at home
mothers, the list is endless. Every one of this group, in its own way, exist to
help members face challenges and excel in them. These are all forms of support
systems and they go a long way to ease the blows life often deals out.

A first time mother will never know that the fluttering in her tummy is not a
rumbling for food, but the first movement of her baby if she finds herself
amongst the loving embers of ‘old time’ mothers. An abused woman may not know
that silence and the fear of being stigmatized could be a ticket to death if a
support system does not guide her through that road.

Every impossible feat and difficult situation can be an uphill battle when we
try to tough it out alone. Let the wisdom, experiences and insights that can be
gained from friends, family and partners, be a guide and support.

In whatever sphere of life you find
yourself, be it a new, strange or difficult terrain, look for the necessary
support group and bask in their support and wealth of experience.
And for the existing support systems
we have built overtime, let’s all love and wholly lean on them. Never take them
for granted! Always make out time to nurture them, for their growth breeds our
success!

Too often, we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.    Leo Buscagliah

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4 Comments

  • Reply
    Unknown
    October 31, 2014 at 4:33 am

    The power of family and relationships should ever be under-emphasized.

  • Reply
    Unknown
    July 25, 2014 at 11:41 am

    lovely dear and very true!!! some channel the day's frustrations on their families which isn't suppose to be.

    good work dear, keep the fire burning!!!!

  • Reply
    Emediong
    July 25, 2014 at 9:24 am

    A realistic truth told in simplified but inspiring literary piece! Identify your support system today if you haven’t done so already.

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    July 25, 2014 at 6:33 am

    Great and timeless truth. Especially in a society that seems to disregard relationships. Family and loving relationships are indeed therapeutic! Without my little one, only God knows where I would have been. Thanks. God bless you. =D/

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