Mid Summer check in

Hello Everyone. Just an update as summer moves into high gear. My business exploded in mid January and hasn't stopped yet, both good and bad as you can imagine. I'm adjusting to the longer hours and yet the added income is such a blessing. The main lesson I'm learning is aout self-care. How to slow down and rechrage is important. I've gotten better and plan to continue on that learning curve. I have excitng things going on other than fun work. Friends are coming to visit, one is here now actually from Rwanda, Africa where she teaches math/English to 4th graders. That was her adventure choice after an 18 year marriage ended. Fun to hear her tales. I have made great friends and feel loved and respected. My kids are thriving and we are closer than ever. My daughter, 21, has had no contact with her father since she turned 18. Her choice. My son, 17, has no contact either for the past couple years other than an errant text. My ex sent several nasty emails confronting me for turning them against him. I wasn't even upset with his attack as I once used to be. I would  have tried to mend it or keep the peace or help him calm down. Total co-dependent. Instead, I responded that I'd speak with the kids about visits with him but that his relationship with them was between he and them. I cannot force a 6'3" young man into a car and drive 4 hours to visit his father if he refused so, I told my ex, you fix that because I cannot repair damage in your relationships with others. He hasn't written another email since. And the kids still refuse to visit, refuse to respond to his texts. Since my ex is virtually out of our lives completly, we three are settled, relaxed, laughing more, and committed to one another. We survived the trauma, healed the pain, and now are entering into bliss. I love this stage. I love bliss. It took lots of effort, tears, rage, and deep sorrow to get her. But it takes all the feelings in operational mode, not just some, in order to feel fulfilled and whole. When I tried to deny or avoid feeling bad, it made it worse. I just coudn't understand for a long while that fear, anger, sadness are just as important to feel as happyiness, and in fact, you cannot feel happiness if you shut down any feeling. I learned to feel and realized I was safe; that my sorrow was essential to healing. Sadness and joy work together to make positive change and heal pain. I have more to learn, I'm sure. I am no longer running from the pain, fear, frusttations. Now, I welecome them in like lost friends and serve them a cup of tea. And listen long and hard. Soon, they are spent, feel heard, and I noticed then, that sorrow or fear walked away. It only needed to be heard to be released so we were both free from prison. I plan to enjoy the rest of summer. The trick that I learned that helped so very much was staying present. Taking in the moment in all detail and feeling keeps me from lamenting on the past or fretting on the future. I found the powersource of my life right there in front of my nose in the present moment. I plan to refocus on the present every chance I get. Happy summer to you all and I hope this finds you entering your own bliss.