Do you have cheerleaders? I’m not talking about pom-poms and chants. I’m also not talking about “Yes men (or women)”. Tú sabes, the ones that will say yes to anything you say because they fear you or think it is the best way to win you over. I’m talking about people that will encourage you to “Go for it!” when you are unsure of yourself.
In the last few weeks I have become keenly aware of my cheerleaders in my life: my friends and family.
Recently I made an important contact because one of my cheerleaders literally said “Go for it!” Because I knew she was in my corner, I felt like a different person. I was not shy or unsure of myself. I did exactly what I needed to do, obtained the exact information I needed and secured that contact. I know with all my being that that interaction would not have been the same if my cheerleader had not been there.
Other cheerleaders have comforted me and encouraged me in this journey of motherhood. They’ve assured me that I can raise boys without losing my mind. They’ve complimented my boys for their manners. They didn’t let me sulk in a pity party when I had a bad mommy day. The really great ones, threw me a ‘minute-long’ pity party and then made me get over it!
Warning! Here comes the cheese: My biggest cheerleader is my husband. He has always been in my corner and has given me the room and freedom to be the best me I can be. Is it cheesy if it’s true?
One of the most special cheerleaders is the one who cheers me on in my walk in Faith. She didn’t judge me when I recently shared with her how I have stumbled. Instead, she showed me how God can use that stumble and grow me even more. She reminded me that I am unique and created to do things that no one else was created to do. She revealed and continues to reveal to me God’s love through her actions.
I’m not writing this to boast about how great I have it. There have been times that I have felt alone and like no one was in my corner. And many of those times were my own fault because of my negligence to nurture an important relationship.
I have also been hurt by people who I thought were cheerleaders but at one point were not in my corner. It’s not easy to share a big goal with anyone. It seems to hurt more when you share that intimate detail and they don’t give you the support you are searching for in them. You are faced reality and forced to reevaluate the relationship. Remember, it is important to guard your heart.
There’s an old saying:
There are three kinds of friends … those who come for a reason, those who come for a season, and those who stay a lifetime.
You can call them cheerleaders or you can call them friends. Whatever you call them, I hope that you do have them to call. The best part of having them are the celebrations!
My prayer for you: “May you find the cheerleaders if you don’t have them, may your eyes would be open to the cheerleaders if you cannot see them and may you become someone else’s cheerleader.”
My prayer for me: “Lord help me to be a loyal friend. Make my ears ready to listen, give me words of encouragement and make me able to offer a helping hand. Bless me with opportunities to be someone else’s cheerleader.”
