Symptoms and Causes

My former pastor's wife (as in, the wife of my former pastor) seriously made my day today. I wish I could tell you how long we talked for, but I can't... I do know that it was a solid chunk of time and she is sooo amazing. God had to be in that conversation. She just... ahh. There isn't a woman I respect and look up to more. And tonight I was reminded why. I desperately wanted to talk to her but almost didn't call her because I wasn't sure what I needed to talk about. I called her anyway and the conversation was amazing. I think I've already said that... but it was. I heard what I needed to hear, which, believe it or not, was what I WANTED to hear; I've grown tired of the legalistic shoving in the face as well as the overly gentle "it'll be okay" that reside at the extremes of life.

So many people seem so interested in treating the symptom rather than the problem. If I get shot in the chest and start bleeding profusely from the wound no respectable Dr. would just cover up the bleeding- no, they'd go to the source and fix that. So, in my case, I didn't just need a list of shoulds and shouldn'ts, nor did I need to hear that my thoughts and feelings were/are "BS." What I needed was a honest, soothing conversation. I needed someone to understand my feelings. I needed someone that could look past the symptoms to the cause, address that, and then move to the symptoms.

Ah. I felt so much peace after our convo. I felt/feel validated. I feel "joined" (not alone).

I'm sure she doesn't read this; she's a busy woman... but just in case: Thanks so much, Kim. Thank you sooo much.

I have yet another reason to thank God tonight.

=)