Renewed, Refreshed, Refueled

I took a break. It’s been months since I saw my friends – four or five to be semi-exact. It’s been rough since I saw them last – a lot has gone on in my life, and I was weary. For the first time, most of us were able to get together by flying out to see our friend who lives the farthest away. It was a much-needed respite.

Renewed

Seeing people you love and who love you renews your soul. They remind you of who you are, who you have been, and how far you’ve come. This renewal is vital because we can be overcome by struggles in life. Simply getting a reminder of how others see you, how others perceived your past struggles and triumphs, and how confident they are in your ability to prevail, imbibes you with strength.

Refreshed

It was nice getting away. Not that I don’t love and adore my family – I do. But, the act of being away for a few days without the hustle and bustle of the daily routine, is refreshing simply because it’s different. Being in a new city with a different vibe, routine, or even different stores, makes you miss what you have. Attempting to find items or services common to my home state made me see and appreciate what I had waiting for me back at home.

Refueled

I’ve read The Five Love Languages; if you haven’t, you should; it’s a great book. The premise is that people each feel and understand love differently. That’s great if you are in a relationship with someone who understands love the same way you do. It’s not so great if they receive love differently. The reason for this is that while you may be pouring your love into them the way you appreciate it – they are not getting anything out of it. It’s like trying to fill up your gas tank by pouring gas on the ground near it. All your effort doesn’t refuel the car. You end up feeling depleted and so does your partner. So, finding out how they understand love is critical so that you can show them love in a way they understand.

Being with my friends, my sisters, this weekend was like that. They understand my love language because we grew up together. Our understanding of love was being formed at the same time. So, when we spend time with each other, it refuels us all. I am full to overflowing. I have been renewed, refreshed, and refueled. What a blessing it is to be around people who fill you up with so much that you can go home and share it with your family.