My Kent

Luanne had a great post the other day, I encourage you to take a minute to go over to her blog and read it before you finish reading this. It came at a perfect time for me and though at first it appears to be about a horse (Big Brown) and a jockey (Kent Desormeaux), there's so much more to it than that. It's about having someone in your life who knows that, no matter how much pressure there is and how much potential you might have to meet everyone's expectations, we all need someone who knows when today just isn't our day to win the race, and lets us off the hook.

My Kent is named Brenda. Her parents and my parents were friends from church before I was born, so I've known Brenda for, well, I don't remember not knowing Brenda. She's a little bit older than me and over the course of my life she's been my babysitter, my big sister, my other mother and the best kind of friend. We've been through pretty much everything there is to be through together. I've had the pleasure of watching her boys grow into amazing young men, and have had my own chance to be their babysitter and big sister, just like their mom was to me.

Brenda fed me extra fudgesicles and helped me learn to swim in her parent's pool. She did my hair (much to my dad's dismay sometimes!), painted my nails and did my makeup when I was still young enough that those things were a HUGE treat. She took me shopping for prom dresses and did my hair for the Big Night. She was my Matron of Honor when I married the love of my life. She's prayed and hugged and laughed and cried and supported me through my cancer scare, my career challenges, my Big Move to Florida, the birth of my children and everything in between. Her love and support and "making sure Kat puts herself first" are without fail, without condition, without question.

But what makes Brenda most remarkable is that even from 1360 miles away, she still knows when I need a hug. She still knows when I'm over-doing it, she still knows when I need a break. And she's not afraid to call me on it. She knows that even though my potential is there, the expectation is there, that every so often, I just can't do it all. She reminds me to ease up, to take a break, that it's OK to not win all the races all the time. And she means it. And when she says it, I believe it.

Luanne, thank you for your post and the great reminder and perspective.

And Brenda, my wonderful, amazing Brenda... thank you today, tomorrow and always for being there for me, for being my Kent.