I get by with a little help from my friends...

I just got home from a dinner party hosted by two of my dearest friends that my son attended with me.  I've always found it somewhat stressful to take Jacob away from home for too long.  Like most 11 month olds, he gets bored easily and can get cranky.  However, I think the majority of the issues are my own, in that I feel most in control when I'm at home with him.  But I've also come to realize my closest friends not only understand, but they also want to help.

Having a child, in many ways, helps to clear your slate of people that simply don't matter in the scheme of things. We call them fair weather friends.  But those people that are left standing in your life are those that make single parenting possible.  It's generally a much shorter list of people, but those friends are willing to help you through hard times, lend a hand when needed and be a source of emotional support without asking for anything in return. They are a network that can be leaned on at a moments notice and are fundamentally necessary for survival, especially early on.

I have countless stories about how my network has saved me over the past year.  One friend (we'll call him Tender) allowed Jacob and I to move in with his family for a week while I was transitioning homes right after my separation.  Another (we'll call him Hustle), having gone through divorce himself, has been a source of emotional guidance for me and I don't think I would be as far along as I am without him.  Others have listened to me ramble on for hours about the issue du jour or about how Jacob just wouldn't fall asleep last night.  The point being that my attitudes toward single parenting, and the success I'm having with it, are being driven by those people that matter most in my life.  I can honestly say I would be nowhere without my best friends.  And for that I am forever indebted to them.