If someone else said those words first or I did, I can’t recall, but I like the idea. It is such a great word picture of the day-to-day those of us work through in the world of special needs.
There is a certain level of comfort and safety in a trench. It’s not really the place you want to be, but you have some safety and comfort knowing you are protected. We have friends that are in trenches right next to us, so we all feel we understand what the other is going through. We see when there is a battle brewing and sometimes we even hop into each other’s trenches! We do that when we need to have a line of defense. It’s a way we care for each other, too. We know we’re on a level field of challenge, and being together helps us to get through the battle before us. We seldom have all the answers we need to win the battle, but we know that doing it together is something that will give us strength, endurance, and encouragement along the way. We can’t be in the same trench and work against one another.
Together we learn to care and put forth a good effort, even as we learn the hardest of our challenges. We help each other get out of that trench when the midst of the battle is raging and we have to move on, but don’t have the ability. That is an effort few will give, but when they do, bonds of friendship are formed.
Source: Special Needs Parenting- Key Ministry
