marta locklear { blog

I am sitting in the Starbucks drive thru line this morning admiring a Silver Infiniti Crossover, and waiting ever so patiently for my Chai Tea Latte. I notice the person in the car through the side mirror (just to see if it was someone I know, it was not), and go about watching the traffic go by until it is my turn to get my delicious morning warmth in a yummy red cup. So I pull up to pay my $4.02 when the clerk informs me that the person in front of me paid for my coffee! “Really??, but I don’t know her!?” was my reply. She said yes, and said the lady had told her to tell me something, but could not remember what since she had someone talking to her through her headset…ugh! That little something that was supposed to be told to me was probably my clue to the mystery person, but the message was never received… :(. So, I want to thank the kind person that got me my precious Chai this morning. I wish I knew who you were, or how you know me. And if it was a case of mistaken identity and you thought I was someone else, thank you anyway, it was very kind, and the person that you may have thought I was is a lucky person to know you.

Onto my second thank you, and I will try to do this one without tears. I have a dear friend from nearly 7 years ago. We were young moms, with two little girls, and very few friends. We found each other through a local mom’s club and became insperable. Our girls played together, went to dance together, etc. Then my life happened and happened hard and fast. There was a time that I had time, time to just shop, take the kids to the library and silly things like that. My hubby’s business grew, and he needed me more and more to help, and my businesses grew and that took my time. Add two more kids to the mix and lets just say, time was not available anymore. I know I have hurt this person (and maybe several people along the way) that may think I just don’t care anymore. But honestly that is so so far from the case. I admit that I have to make more time for the people I love and care about, and I have tried hard this year to do that, and will try even harder next year. Most people in my life don’t realize just how much I really do work. And when there is time, my immediate family comes first and then any time after that gets devoted to my friends or my house. So this person has been neglected by me over the years. I have not been there, and have lost touch, or grown further apart. But I still love her dearly and she is one of the kindest people you will ever ever know, which pains me even more to know that I have hurt her.

This summer I tried to make it up to her the only way I know how. I did two sessions for her and her prima ballerina. And gifted her the sessions and the images. I owed that to her, and then some, and would have gave more if I could, and probably will down the road. She has been forgiving of me, and I hope now realizes just how chaotic my life is, and that I am doing my best to find a balance (and an assistant).

This Sunday I went to our annual book club ornament exchange (I only made it to two or 3 meetings all year this year, and read ZERO books), but I went, because it is was a chance to catch up with people I used to see all the time. My friend was there and at the end she gave ME a gift! Here I am trying to pay her back for my neglect as a friend and she is gifting me. That is just the kind of person she is, and I will cherish her gift forever. Thank you my dear friend, you know who you are. And my apologies to any of my other friends out there that have felt neglected by my lack of time or devotion. My balances have been off these last few years, and Jamie and I are doing our best to get the scales tipped right, and to hire more help. So hopefully 2009 will be a better year for us, our time, and our friends.

Lesson learned.