Asking for Help

I recently celebrated my 17th birthday with treats, hugs, and being sung to many times throughout my special day! It's an honor to live on earth this long! But also, I don't want to just glamorize getting older... there's also struggles. 

For instance, I have to ask for help more than I'd like. My back legs aren't what they used to be and sometimes that causes me to get a little stuck in situations. My mom always seems like she's going to start crying every time I'm struggling, so I try my hardest to manage on my own. Sometimes, however, I just plain and simply need help. The darn floors in my house are a little slippery and sometimes I can't get enough grip to get up! So, my mom has to help get me up! She is, after all, the one who chose the floors so I think the tradeoff is kind of fair. 

Sometimes I get a little stuck in my head. I worry I'm being a burden and that asking for help is too much on my loved ones. In reality, though, no one has ever verbalized that. My mom has never just left me somewhere because I'm "too much." She loves me, so she helps me. It's that simple. 

Yes, I take extra time because of my needs. Yes, it's not easy. But we take care of each other because we love each other. You see, sometimes my mom seems a little sad when my human brothers are at school. She really seems to miss those Noise Machines! So, I see she's sad and I comfort her. I stay by her side to the point where I trip her constantly because I'm velcro'd to her leg. Do I want to follow her so close? Not always. But I know she needs me. I comfort her/ give her companionship when she needs it and she helps me when my back legs are being stubborn. We take care of each other in different ways, but equally valuable ways. 

Do you struggle to ask for help? Do you get in your head a little? I hope my words help you to reach out and ask for what you need. I also hope you recognize how you contribute to the people around you- it may look different than it did ten years ago.