"Men face reality. Women don't. That's why men need to drink."

I have been watching a show on HBO called "Bored to Death".  The title for this Blog came from that show. I love it. The humor reminds me of the shenanigans me and my friends use to get into.
    Lately I have been feeling like the Titan Atlas; the world seems to be resting on my shoulders.  My family has been hit with many trials and tribulations.  Just this past year I have made too many trips to the hospital ER than I'd like to keep track of.  I work, go to the grocery store, come home then cook an awesome dinner ( I love to cook).  Then it starts all over again with really no ME time.  Then I have four older sisters that each have at least 4 kids to them. Each one depends on me in some way or another.  16 years ago our rock (my father) passed away.   I became the rock at the age of 15.  I hardened my heart to many emotions, and found my strength in my family.  My niece needs help with home work, I'm there.  A guy was annoying another I was there to check that runt; you know the basic things an uncle does and more.  I would come over and cook dinner for my sister and her family at times, because she'd be too stressed out to give the kids a home cooked meal.  My other sister, I would just be there for her.  Call her on the phone and let her vent about her day, and we'd talk about dad and the good ol' days.  My 3rd sister is 6yrs older than me and she's a strong one too, but she holds in too much.  With her when I see her I grab her pull her close and hug her.  I bury her head into my chest and I caress the back of her head with my hand.  I tell her she's a great mother , wife, woman and that dad is proud of her.  She's the one that was changing dads diapers and stuff when the cancer hit.  I was a kid and in denial that Superman was dying b4 my eyes.  So I avoided watching my father die.  I refused to watch him die.  My sister didn't though.  She helped mom.  The eldest two (twin) sisters had already moved out of the nest by then.  So yeah, at the funeral I heard my dad tell me, "no me llores (don't cry), sea fuerte (be strong)".  And I was/am.  I became the rock.  I took the load off of them.  I know how to deal with stress/life.  I'll dabble in some art, get lost in a book, or drink it up with the cousins.  I know life is tough and it's gonna beat us up and knock us down.  We just have to remember it's not how we fall, but it's how we get up that matters.  
    So I  know it sounds stupid to say this but that show connects with me.   For 26minutes an episode It makes me smile cheek to cheek and laugh.  In the end that's all we need, right?