Validation

Herself does not talk about her extended family much.  This is primarily to preserve their privacy - although she cannot imagine any of them accidentally wandering across the blog, should such a thing happen, she wants to be sure that they are not surprised to see themselves in print, nor embarrassed or offended by anything she has said.  Also, sadly, she does not see them as much as she would like, so the little tidbits of interactions that might be blog-worthy are few and far between.

That being said, she'd like to tell you a short story about her father.

Herself's father is a brilliant, kind, thoughtful, generous man.  He works very hard to make sure that all the members of the family have everything they need. He has always been this way.  Herself aspires to be like him.

Today, she was speaking with her father about a few people they both know who have been undergoing difficulties lately.  He commented:  "You're providing moral support for this person and that person.  How about you?  What do you need?"

She was caught off guard. Her heart skipped a beat.

Such a magnificent thing to say.

There are times -- many times -- when Herself feels that the number of pieces of herself that she gives away far exceeds the number that she gets back.  She can become exhausted; she runs on empty. It is hard. 

Tiny things refuel her:  Unexpected flowers. Unsolicited assistance with the groceries. Spontaneous offers to bring her a coat. Each event is a small, brilliant miracle. She is refreshed.

Her father's acknowledgment of her efforts to help others, and his simultaneous inquiry regarding her own needs, encapsulated in a few short sentences all that she longs to hear. Like him, it was brilliant, kind, thoughtful and generous.
 
Thank you, Daddy.  Just the fact that you asked, is all I really need.

Herself and her father, the weekend of her college graduation, so many years ago.