Reaching Out, Reaching In...

I am a homebody.  I usually prefer my home to just about anywhere else on the planet, but I realize the importance of getting out and about into society once in awhile.  My love of being home stems from my introversion.  I just really enjoy my quiet, peaceful house.  I love being alone.  I'm perfectly okay with a day to myself.  Or a week.  Or a month, even. 

As excited as I was to get a depression and bipolar support group going here, I actually have to force myself to get there.  It's honestly a struggle to convince myself that I should go.  Every fiber of my being wants to stay planted in the coziness of my home and pjs.  I have to remind myself that other people are depending on me.  If I don't show up to unlock the room, no one else will.  If I don't show up to facilitate, there is no one else (at least at present), that will facilitate for me. 


Every week when I show up for support group, I am reminded of how important it is that I get out of my comfort zone and make it to that meeting.  Every single week someone new tells me how grateful they are that I've started this group.  How there's nothing else like this in this town and they've been needing this for a long time.  Maybe it's the only support a person gets all week.  Maybe that one hour makes it possible for someone to get through the rest of his day.  

Every time I show up I am reminded exactly why I started doing this support group in the first place.  I wanted to help those who, like me, had few other places to go for the understanding and compassion that can occur in a support group setting.  By forcing myself to reach out at a group meeting, I also get the opportunity to reach withinin - reach in and help others, reach within myself and grow.  Every time I force myself to show up to that meeting instead of sit on my couch on the computer or eating almonds and drinking diet soda, I help myself and others, too. 


The reality hit me tonight that my little support group - our little support group - is doing exactly what I dreamed it would.  And it's only in its second month!  I'm thinking there's a lot of potential for healing to happen, and that's pretty darn exciting!