I was feeling depressed the other day after another long bout of disfunction. Oliver and I were playing on his PS4 and I said “I’m sorry I can’t do the things other moms can do.”

To my surprise he said “Don’t say stuff like that about yourself. It makes me feel bad.”

Huh. That made me think. I didn’t want to spread my misery around to my kiddos so I really thought about the feelings I wanted to spread around.

I asked “How about if I say thank you for spending time with me doing the things I can do?”

He said “That’s better. I enjoy spending time with you.”

Our words matter. Sometimes, when we are mired in our own despair, we can forget the effect our words have on those around us. So, to all of you:

Thank you for being here to read my words.

Thank you for understanding my limitations.

Thank you for finding ways to be in my life despite those limitations.

You matter to me, your presence helps more than you know, and I love you.