Day 17: For Those That Stand Alongside Me I Am Grateful!
- 48 minutes ago
- 4 min read
I am grateful for the people who stand with me...because sometimes the encouragement we need arrives through the people who refuse to let us walk alone!
Have you ever received a message at exactly the right moment?
A text.
A phone call.
A prayer.
A song.
A few simple words.
Nothing dramatic.
Yet somehow it arrived precisely when you needed it most.
I know I have.
And every time it happens, I am reminded of something important:
We were never meant to carry everything alone.
One of the greatest gifts in my life has been the people who have stood with me through different seasons.
The friends who pray when I don’t know what to pray.
The sisters who encourage when I feel discouraged.
The people who remind me of who I am when I temporarily forget.
The people who celebrate with me.
Challenge me.
Support me.
And occasionally tell me what I need to hear rather than what I want to hear.
If I’m honest, there have been times when I thought strength meant independence.
Handling everything myself.
Figuring things out alone.
Not needing help.
Not wanting to burden anyone.
Yet life has taught me something very different.
Strength is not always found in standing alone.
Sometimes strength is found in allowing others to stand with us.
After my brain injury, this became increasingly obvious.
Not because I lost all capability.
But because I discovered that capability and support are not opposites.
In fact, some of the most important progress in my life happened because others walked alongside me.
Encouraged me.
Believed in me.
Prayed for me.
Reminded me to keep going.
And sometimes simply showed up.
Recently, I was reminded of this again.
A friend sent me a song.
Nothing complicated.
Nothing lengthy.
Just a timely reminder of truth, encouragement, and hope.
At first glance, it was simply a song.
Yet it arrived at exactly the right moment.
The words reminded me that even when we cannot see the whole picture, we are not walking alone.
That someone is praying for us.
Believing in us.
Standing with us.
And encouraging us to keep going.
If you would like to listen to it, this was the song:
As I listened, I found myself reflecting on the people God has placed in my life over the years.
The friends.
The sisters.
The mentors.
The encouragers.
The people who somehow know when to send a message, make a call, share a scripture, offer a prayer, or send a song at exactly the right moment.
And as I reflected on it, I found myself sharing that same encouragement with one of my coaching clients.
Not because I had all the answers.
Not because I could solve every challenge they were facing.
But because sometimes what people need most is to be reminded of what they are capable of.
To be reminded that they are making progress.
To be reminded that they are not alone.
To be reminded that the difficult season they are navigating today is not the whole story.
It struck me that encouragement has a way of multiplying.
What begins as a word spoken to us can become a word spoken through us.
What strengthens us today may become the very thing that strengthens someone else tomorrow.
Perhaps that is one of the reasons support matters so much.
Its impact rarely stops with the person who first receives it.
The more I reflect on brain health, recovery, leadership, parenting, relationships, and coaching, the more convinced I become of this:
Most people do not simply need more information.
They need encouragement.
They need perspective.
They need someone who can see beyond the struggle of the moment.
Someone who can remind them of what they are building when they can only see what is difficult.
Someone who can walk alongside them while they find their footing again.
The friend who checks in.
The sister who prays.
The mentor who challenges.
The coach who sees possibility when we can only see obstacles.
Their impact often extends far beyond what they realise.
Because encouragement has a way of travelling further than we can see.
And sometimes a timely word, a prayer, a song, a question, or a conversation becomes the very thing that helps someone keep moving forward.
That is why I am so grateful for the people who have stood with me.
Not because they removed every obstacle.
Not because they solved every problem.
But because they reminded me that I did not have to face those obstacles alone.
And perhaps that is one of the greatest gifts we can offer another person.
Not perfection.
Not solutions.
Presence.
Encouragement.
Belief.
And the willingness to stand with them while they continue moving forward.
What If…
What if the breakthrough you need is not another strategy?
What if it is the right support?
#IChooseToBe Grateful for the people who stand with me.
#IChooseToBe that person for you.
⸻
Final Reflection
As I continue this gratitude journey, I am becoming increasingly aware that some of life’s greatest gifts arrive through people.
The friend who checks in.
The sister who prays.
The mentor who challenges.
The coach who sees possibility when we can only see obstacles.
The person who sends the right words at the right time.
Their impact often extends far beyond what they realise.
Because encouragement has a way of travelling further than we can see.
And perhaps that is one of the reasons we should never underestimate the power of a timely word.
You never know how far it may travel.
Or whose life it may help change.
With Gratitude
Annabel Aaron
Brain Health. Unapologetically.
Insights on Brain Health, Cognitive Continuity & Follow-Through.
Coaching • Speaking • Brain Health Awareness • Cognitive Continuity Conversations
Instagram: #IAmAnnabelAaron
Helping individuals, families, leaders, and professionals strengthen brain health, build confidence, and create more reliable ways of participating in the things that matter most.
If this reflection resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you.
Whether you’re navigating change, rebuilding confidence, strengthening follow-through, supporting recovery, or simply looking for someone to walk alongside you for a season, please reach out.
You do not have to navigate your seasons alone.
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