Perceptions
GGGRRRRR i just wrote this whole journal entry and it DISAPPEARED now i am writing it again.
Each day i look forward to checking in with my cyber-friends here at Daily Strength. i have often posted my gratitude for the support and lessons I have received here. This morning I had to smile when Blueviolet said she "lurks" on the alcoholic page for information and insight; I too am a lurker. I lurk on the on-line AA/Al-Anon website, there is also a friends and family chat room there.
My personal goal is to live each day with grace, gratitude, serenity and humor. I have learned compassion, sympathy and that i have strengths and gifts limited only by my perceptions.
More realistically, i know that with each reading i am seeing into someone's pain and sorrow. I have been overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of us living with this heartbreak. sometimes i have to fight from slipping into despair.
But think about this, last night i was driving down my block thinking about the people living in those houses. Some of them are my friends. Some of them appear to be living the fairytale "happily ever after" life. But they do not! the family in this home have a severely organically depressed son who has twice atempted suicide, responds to no meds, has had a series of failed electroshocks and they have re mortgaged their to try to pay some of his medical bills. Next door to them is the young family who has her brother living with them who has been jailed more than once for theft, drugs, etc. next to yhat young mother diagnosed with serious heart condition, the next house, husband lost his job. Thislist grows with each house I pass.
Is there a lesson here? I think so. Life is hard and messy. All we can do is try our best. Learn our lessons well. Find the graces offered to us each day. Treasure our friends. Honor ourselves. The Budda said it best " Suffering Exists". Who am I to argue with that?
Each day i look forward to checking in with my cyber-friends here at Daily Strength. i have often posted my gratitude for the support and lessons I have received here. This morning I had to smile when Blueviolet said she "lurks" on the alcoholic page for information and insight; I too am a lurker. I lurk on the on-line AA/Al-Anon website, there is also a friends and family chat room there.
My personal goal is to live each day with grace, gratitude, serenity and humor. I have learned compassion, sympathy and that i have strengths and gifts limited only by my perceptions.
More realistically, i know that with each reading i am seeing into someone's pain and sorrow. I have been overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of us living with this heartbreak. sometimes i have to fight from slipping into despair.
But think about this, last night i was driving down my block thinking about the people living in those houses. Some of them are my friends. Some of them appear to be living the fairytale "happily ever after" life. But they do not! the family in this home have a severely organically depressed son who has twice atempted suicide, responds to no meds, has had a series of failed electroshocks and they have re mortgaged their to try to pay some of his medical bills. Next door to them is the young family who has her brother living with them who has been jailed more than once for theft, drugs, etc. next to yhat young mother diagnosed with serious heart condition, the next house, husband lost his job. Thislist grows with each house I pass.
Is there a lesson here? I think so. Life is hard and messy. All we can do is try our best. Learn our lessons well. Find the graces offered to us each day. Treasure our friends. Honor ourselves. The Budda said it best " Suffering Exists". Who am I to argue with that?
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