Thank You Friend, For the Gift of Grace

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To the grace givers,

From the very depths of the gratitude in my soul . . . THANK YOU.

In this season of my life as I navigate the challenges of raising young kids, finding time for me and my marriage, fostering friendships and growing my career, I am not going to be perfect at balancing all of those hats on my head.

My mind is a constant rush hour of trying to remember little details from “when is that fundraiser due” to “what time is the baby’s doctor appointment” to “oh no, I missed so-and-so’s birthday” and “I never sent that email I was supposed to!”

Those thoughts seem to enter and exit my mind all day, sometimes just crashing into each other creating a distraction that can make me miss something in our relationship. It’s never my intention, and I’m trying hard to lessen the clutter in my life that keeps me from focusing on the things (and the people) that are truly important to me.

I cherish you and I value you—but I know I’m not always going to be perfect—and you always remind me that you don’t expect me to be.

So thank you, friend, for the gift of your grace.

Thank you for not taking it personally that I didn’t respond to your text five days ago. You know my response got lost in the abyss of my mothering mind. So instead of calling me out, you simply send it to me again.

Thank you for forgiving me when I snapped at you. You know I’m tired or something else has been weighing on my mind. So instead of harboring anger, you reach out to ask how you can help.

Thank you for not questioning me about why I had to reschedule our girls’ night. You know I might not have the energy, or I need to put time into my marriage or my family that night. So instead of making me feel bad, you start looking at your calendar for another date that works for both of us.

Thank you for knowing that friendships have seasons. Sometimes we’ll talk every day, and other times it will be weeks or months. But you know life happens, and our friendship will always be there to come back to.

Thank you, friend. For all of it.

For your grace when I make a mistake.

For your grace when I disappoint you.

For your grace when I’m not perfect.

For your grace when tired acting out of character.

For your grace when I hurt you and don’t mean to.

Thank you for knowing that I am human, and for loving me through all of it.

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Brea Schmidt

Brea Schmidt is a writer, speaker and photographer who aims to generate authentic conversation about motherhood and daily life on her blog, The Thinking Branch. Through her work, she aims to empower people to overcome their fears and insecurities and live their truth. She and her husband raise their three children in Pittsburgh, PA.

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