Balancing the blessing

She listens. She laughs. She provides feedback and levity. She is not a client- she is my friend.  As a fellow social worker she understands my work in a way that others friends do not. As a similar sensitive soul, our work can be the very thing that creates static between us.
Caretaking.
It's what good friends do for each other. It's what I like to provide for others and have endless gratitude when my friends do so for me.  There comes a time when you put yourself first -your caretaking has to be about yourself. It's a lesson for everyone, but outwardly defined in the education of a social worker.  It's an important message that gets played repeatedly as we are trained to take care of others as our full time job: self-care.  So, what happens if two friends are in an emotional place where they have to put themselves first?
It gets sticky, and things fall apart.
What happens if these two have the emotional knowledge and stability to see what's bigger than the immediate situation that has becomes sticky?
Things get put back together.
My gratitude for this relationship runs deep- in times of conflict or the best of times.  It seems that it is the moments of imbalance that stand out and make me appreciate her all over again.