Who Are Your Support Systems?

 “I think I am jinxed,'' I said, letting go of the torrent of tears that I had been holding back while commuting to her office. She looked so broken hearted as she told me “No, you are blessed and not cursed”. Life had dealt me a very hard blow, I was in a very bad place and I was down with severe malaria. She then decided not to let me go back to my apartment but go to hers and I was with her for a week.

We all go through the highs and lows of life, but we don’t have to do it in isolation. It’s a good feeling to know that you have people in your corner that can always be there for you through the highs and lows. We all need people who will speak life to us when others are echoing our pain.

I feel so blessed when my mum would check on me everyday despite her busy schedule. I think about my friend who is nursing an infant and will still ensure she checks up on me even though it’s very late in the night. Acts like this keep you going even when everything in your space is telling you to do otherwise. Friendships still multiply our joy and reduce our griefs.

Relationships are gifts, and we should not take them for granted. I feel so blessed each time I remember the wonderful people God has gifted me with. There are some blessings you get just because of the company you keep. We live in a very desensitized society and people no longer see the need to connect with people in their space. Think about this, if things really go wrong in your space, can you count two to three people that can be there for you through everything? If you can’t, you better get to work. Let me clear the air here, I am a staunch believer in people being responsible so this is not a write-up encouraging abdicating the responsibilities of one’s life to someone else. This is more like a call to understand that life should not be lived in isolation.

I have enjoyed the gift of very strong support systems in human form and I feel the need to share some tips:

1. Be truly concerned and show care for people in your space. He that must have friends must show himself friendly. Be that one friend that people can count on.
2. Give, give and give. Kindness makes a person’s face shine, this means that people become attracted to you. Everyone has something to give trust me, nothing is too small. I guess it is the thought that matters.
3. Understand that we are still humans and no one is perfect so give room for offences. Remember that everyone is fighting their own battles so they might not be there for you all the time. Avoid placing unrealistic expectations on humans, because you are one too.
4. Open your heart even though you might get hurt. People live in their own shells and prevent access just to avoid heartbreak and betrayals. Well I don’t believe that’s a way to live. I understand the need to regulate access because whoever has access has influence but this is not an excuse to lock up totally.

In closing, find your tribe and hold them dearly.  I pray that you find the right set of people to do life with.

Written by: Adeteju Adeniran

Photo Credits: Google Images

About the Author: Adeteju Adeniran is an internationally trained occupational health and safety professional. She loves to write on faith, hope, and lifestyle, getting her inspiration from the day to day occurrences around her.  She has an obsession with anything African print (lol). She resides in Lagos, Nigeria, where she is impacting her world, one kind deed after another.

She can be reached via-
LinkedIn/Facebook: Adeteju Adeniran