‘How do I do this?’ Almost right away, she sent me everything I needed.’: Mom urges ‘make sure you have friends like this’

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“I Google everything. I mean everything. From symptoms to suggestions, I Google all aspects of my life. Just recently my Google searches included some of the following:

Student learner profiles

Denise Richards

Local bike paths

Explanation of the ending of The Dinner

How much did Teddi Mellencamp’s retreat actually cost

Baton Rouge Food Bank

How do I renew my passport

Lately, especially since we’ve added four feathered friends to our lives, my searches include:

How many nesting boxes do I need

How do I know if my chicks like me

Do chickens feel emotions

How do I know if my chicks are happy

How do I introduce my weird dog to new chicks

Will the heat lamp kill my baby chicks

It’s almost as though I solve all of my life’s problems through Google.

A woman points with one finger at a computer screen
Courtesy of Melanie Forstall

Sometimes.

I’d been trying to figure something out lately. Something digital—social media graphics—and I couldn’t solve my life’s problem. I have downloaded new apps, I tried it a different way, I even tried to make something on my own from scratch. Nothing worked.

Lying in bed one morning, I had a thought—I’m going to reach out to a friend. I know someone who is a graphic designer, surely she’ll have the answer. Social media may not be her specialty, but surely she can point me in the right direction.

I texted her with my question—’How do I do this?’—and even sent some examples. Guess what? She absolutely helped me solve my problem. Almost right away, she sent me all of the information I needed to solve my problem. Any guesses how she got it?

Yep. She Googled my problem for me.

A text message conversation between a woman and her friend
Courtesy of Melanie Forstall

Make sure you have people in your life like this. As a full-time-working-stay-at-home-home-schooling-mom-wife-teacher-writer, we can get so incredibly busy and burdened, we can’t see the solution right under our very own noses.

The truth is y’all, help can come in many forms. Sometimes, we need people to listen to us vent or shed some light for us. Sometimes we need people to be a shoulder to cry on or to assure us we aren’t monsters for feeling a certain way. Sometimes we need people to share a good laugh with or to enjoy a long, lingering phone call.

Sometimes we need people to Google our problems.

I had a good laugh when I realized what happened. So it was such a win-win—my problem was solved, and I laughed out loud. A lot. Which I really needed. What’s better than that?

We all could use some help right now, y’all. Don’t hesitate to be there for your people even if it means simply Googling their problems. You have no idea how much it might just actually help.

And, maybe even more importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. More than likely, you’ll find someone on the other end ready and willing to Google for you.”

A woman sits with glasses askew on her nose
Courtesy of Melanie Forstall

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Melanie Forstall of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. You can follow her journey on Instagram here and Facebook here. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

Read more stories from Melanie here:

‘This doesn’t make any sense!’ I made a proposal. The only valid excuse for backing out would be death. Otherwise, we show up.’: 44-year-old best friends vow over a ‘pinky promise’ to remain connected

‘What the hell is that? Is it POOP? How did it survive the wash cycle?! Wait, can poop be sanitized?’: Mom hilariously recounts ‘heart-stopping’ moment of confusion, ‘Hang in there, y’all’

‘Mom, it’s funny to think when I’m a dad, I’ll have to wrap presents at night.’ I gave him a puzzled look. What was he talking about? ‘You know, mom. When you and dad go into your bedroom and close the door.’ OH.’: Mom shares amusing encounter with son

‘What’s lor-aze-pum?’ I decided to tell them the truth. It’s life. It’s reality.’: Mom shares lesson in vulnerability, ‘Even if it’s uncomfortable, it’s okay to ask for help’

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