I fell in love and was married after 2 years of college. I met my children’s father while in College. For 10 years life to me seemed great. We had beautiful homes, travelled, biked and sailed. However, what seemed like “typical college days of partying” slowly became evident off and on that my spouse would have episodes of addiction. He was a workaholic and would spiral after burning out from working so hard. He worked in sales so was able to hide it well from most of his employers but eventually some would address it. I became pregnant with my daughter after 10 years of marriage and again the addiction was not always clear to me as a problem “Love is blind!!. After all I was raised catholic and I believed in “in sickness and in health….”, my son was born 2 years after my daughter. After 22 years of marriage and after my Mother died when I was 40, I became more aware of how the drinking and drugging was affecting our family. I could hear my Mother always questioning things in my mind. Plus womanizing seemed to be something I questioned constantly. It took a lot of courage and close friends and family to help me make the decision to divorce and as a result I fought for full custodial rights. At that time my children were in 6th grade and 8th. It wasn’t easy but I am a much stronger and independent person and have very close relationships with both my children. I am grateful for making that decision. I can recall my father asking me “Are you sure?” and I knew it was the right thing to do for my children and myself.
One unexpected twist that I’m grateful for is when my family and I moved when I was in 5th grade. At first I was upset about leaving my friends, but I now realize that I actually prefer it here and I have some great new friends! Of course I miss my old friends, some I was really close with, but I’m grateful that I knew them and for what I learned from them. 🙂
I seem to be one of those people
who learn more from tragedy
than from joy and success.
I have lost much,
but have gained more.
I was heartbroken that my first son died,
but grateful
that in the long term,
in the big picture,
his death brought healing
in ways I had never expected.
When he died
I descended into an abyss of drug addiction,
(and much of what comes with it)
which lasted for years.
My marriage was destroyed,
and I ran away.
After finally clawing my way out
I was eventually healed . . .
I am grateful now,
for that experience,
as it has humbled me,
and freed me from judgement of others . . .
and given me more empathy for others
who find themselves in dire circumstances,
.
In retrospect,
it’s been those twists and turns
that have made who I am
and who I continue to be.
Surviving them
has made me a better person . . .
kinder,
wiser,
and more compassionate.
Dear Sparrow, I didn’t have children, and can only imagine
the depths of despair you have experienced.
I have read responses from you at this site for years
and have always found your responses to be exceptionally kind and wise.
I have no doubt that your healing must have been profound.
♥️
Sparrow, your words touched me deeply, brought a tear to my eye. I am so sorry you lost your son.
I admire your strength & honesty & resilience. Hugs & love to you. 🤗❤️
Thank you, dear Sparrow for sharing. My heart ached for you while reading your story. You indeed are a survivor and we are all so happy you are here and share your life and your wisdom.
Dear Sparrow, addiction is truly a title nine, equal opportunity, never discriminates, affliction………….it has affected and affects every socio-economic group, and/or any other way a person would want to classify us human beings.
I’m grateful for the unexpected turns that happen after I left my hometown my early twenties. This was a very hard thing for me because all my family and friends where there, but I knew that I would have better opportunities somewhere else. And I thought I would live there forever till I met my hubby and we moved to another state. I think I have always been very open to change and all the possibilities that come with it. Follow your heart.
Happy Thursday.
The first thing that comes to mind is switching high schools for my junior and senior years. The new school offered a wonderful music program and I am blessed to be talented vocally. It led to voice lessons and many years of performing vocally. Then the vocal ability led to a lot of community theatre productions and wonderful friendships. It also led to both volunteer and paid vocal jobs.
Due to alcoholism in my family, I was introduced to the 12-Steps. I learned so much about myself in that program. I also was given the opportunity to be there for others.
My parents were divorced when I was a pre-schooler and I was determined to never be divorced but it happened after 35 years of marriage and thankfully after my children were raised and out of our home. I started over alone in my mid-fifties and learned how co-dependent I had been. It was so scary and challenging because I was forced to grow and to own my thoughts, feelings and actions…no scapegoats were allowed.
Carol, what a special soul you are…life is mountains and valleys and then we don’t have to work as hard. Sometimes we have learned what we needed to know and other times we continue to strive to learn to make our life better. You have done it all, Carol and truly are an inspiration. God Bless You.
I had to stand alone to realize I was codependent. And it took me many years to have the courage to do that. I just kept coming around the mountain and ending up in the same spot over and over!
Thank you for this honest sharing, Carol.
The 12-step program continues to support me as a recovering codependent. One of the greatest gifts I received during the most challenging years was a skilled, caring therapist who guided me onto a healing path. Thanks to her & on-going work, difficulties still gift me in unexpected ways.
Like you, Carol, I am grateful. Let us continue to continue.
Just about all of them, even the ones that were painful or difficult when I was in the midst of the twist. They made me who I am and I’m comfortable with myself. I have skills and characteristics that I bring to new difficulties because I know I handled the ones in the past.
A couple in particular:
Going to a women’s political conference, which led directly to running for and being elected to the Idaho State Legislature. I served for a term in the House and a term in the Senate, which put me on the path of public policy and public service I’ve been on ever since and which is my calling.
Starting to bike commute, which led to meeting the love of my life and embarking on not one but two new career paths. I told this story on the stage at the 2017 National Bike Summit and wrote a blog post capturing a bit of it (mostly about the work because of the venue): https://bikestylelife.com/2011/11/19/keep-your-weather-eye-open/.
Both of those are beautiful twists, Barb C– and ones where you took the first step, but then were open to where it led you.
A few years ago I went through a phase of making the effort to ride my bike sometimes when I would have driven. It always took an extra mental effort to get started with my bike instead of my car, but then I would feel SO JOYFUL riding my bike, and SO ALIVE afterwards after my little adventure.
I kind of have dropped away from that and my bike needs the tires inflated, but your post inspires me to think of getting back into that once the weather warms up.
There have been so many twists & turns in my life that I have to say I am thankful for every one of them. I am especially thankful that I moved from a small town in the Midwest to San Francisco & spent much of my life there. The life experiences, the places I went, the people I met have all contributed to who I currently am. I feel so blessed that my eyes were opened wide, my mind expanded & I got to experience, live things I never would have, had I stayed in the safe confines of my home town.
All the twists & turns have made me strong, resilient, flexible & able to accept & embrace change as it comes. I need all those traits plus many more as I embrace life in a new place without my husband, brother & mother, all were my anchors. I have to be my own anchor now. ✨🙏🏻✨
OMG it is amazing how many twists, turns, tumbles, roller coasters, this 80+ years have brought. As a young one, I wanted to be a nurse. By circumstances I ended up in education. I have been in various positions and have so many friends because of that. I am grateful.
Now, I am in a giving care position which has forced me to learn about medical decisions. I guess I got my wish in a unique way.
Many of you have heard my story before and just yesterday I commented on SunnyPatti’s post with a partial “same” story. But here goes!! There have been devastation and love in so many changes, twists,and turns in my life. I was an only child, my Mom was about 42 when I was born (can you imagine that in 1952!!) My Mom married later in life and she was one of 10 children–so perhaps that is why I am an only child! 🙂 My father had been married once before and had 2 boys. I never met one of his sons until I was in my 20’s but the other I got to know and love…I met him when I was about 5. My father was an alcoholic- a working and functioning man…but an alcoholic all the same. My Mom died of a cerebral hemorrage suddenly when I was 14. We were not well off…we lived in apartment houses in New Jersey where my parents were “Superintendants”..we received our apartment for free and maybe a bit of money for the upkeep of the building and maintenance work. The floors of these apartment houses were made of subway tiles- There were 4 floors. My Mom would mop these floors once a week…with a huge and heavy mop. She was a worker. My Dad had an outside job as well…otherwise we would be very poor. After my mom died- my father made bad decisions and took up with a woman who was also an alcoholic (she actually had been a friend of my parents and her husband passed away before my mother). This woman made my life hell on earth. I babysat for 3 very rough children and what I was paid I was expected to pay for my clothes and the clothes of this woman’s daughter (the same age as me)..dental care…etc. I was 14 and 15 years old. By the time I was 16 I could not longer take it. I (along with the woman’s daughter) ran away. My half brother was married and had 4 young children…he took both of us in… I never experienced such a loving and caring home. We lived in a house that my brother had bought…we had dinner together as a family. My SIL packed our lunch for school…WOW! As my neices have often said “out of your suffering, Aunt Nannette you were brought to us”. I was the one to gain! I learned how to love many . I graduated high school – went to Nursing School…worked for many years as a nurse- went back to schoolf or my BS, MS and PhD (my parents never completed grade schol!)..and at the age of 52 married for the first time..a wonderful man. I always wanted to live in the country, have a safe place for my dog to run and live in my very own house. I have all of that and more. I had some dificult years, but my life has more than made up for it. I am now thankkful to God for each day and thankful to this Community of Grateful Living for helping me realize how beautiful life is. I apologize for the length of this post. I just kept writing. Wishing you all a beautiful day. Oh and those neices are still a very important part of my life. My brother passed away a few years ago- but I got to be with him and say how much I loved him as he left this world. My sister in law is still going strong and making life better for all she meets.
This is such an amazing and beautiful story, Nannette.
I read it twice.
I am so happy your brother was kind and generous.
He helped you to get started on the life you had always deserved.
Much love and peace to you!
Indeed,
dear Nannette,
your life
has had many twists and turns,
which points out to me,
that adversity can be overcome.
You are a grateful hero,
and have earned all you have been given.
Thank you for sharing with us
your beautiful, rich life. ♥
I can’t believe that I am already feeling gratitude for this, but on Sept 29 of this year, my life plan fell apart when I learned that the spiritual teacher I had been following for over 20 years had harmed some of his closest students. For the past 9 months before that I had been in training to volunteer with the organization that spread this teacher’s teachings. I had thought that one of my main purposes in life going forward was going to be following those teachings to the best of my abilities and supporting that organization in helping others to learn and practice those teachings. After going through a period of intense grief, I am actually feeling grateful and empowered now. I am enjoying the chance to learn to listen more to my Inner Knowing rather than relying on one teacher alone. I am grateful to connect with this community here. I am grateful to be exploring and feeling empowered by feminine images of the divine. I am grateful to have a little time available to potentially engage in activism given the state of the world and our country, rather than feeling like all of my free time is dedicated to that teacher and his organization.
Oh Elizabeth…what a devastating and difficult time it has to have been for you. To find someone and something you believed in was not completely true. However; it seems that as difficult as it has been for you…you have learned and are moving on a much stronger and capable person.
I can relate in some ways. I am Catholic and as you have heard there has been much abuse in the Catholic Church. I cannot leave my faith…because I know this is man’s doing and not the work of God. But still a very difficult lesson. Thank you for sharing this part of your life.
Straight out of college, I was recommended by a a Marketing Professor for a job at an advertising firm.
I had been pretty successful at writing ads in my projects for his class.
So I interviewed for, and got a job as a media buyer.
The job entailed looking at advertising plans,
and then selecting the media, (radio, magazine etc) which would best reach and persuade the target market.
This required fast decision making, and lots of typing, then on to the next job.
This was absolutely not my skill set.
I could barely type and felt very insecure choosing the best media to use,
much less specific magazines or newspapers.
I lost the job. 😐
So I decided to do something which would not be so fast paced.
I managed a book and gift shop in an eclectic area of town.
To make a long story short ( I know, too late for that),
I met the man, I would marry, my husband, at that bookstore, so many years ago.
We make plans, God laughs.
I don’t really believe God laugh at our plans,
but life has taken me through many unexpected paths, that have led me to my life as it is now.
Peace, peace, peace to all.
Marrying Ngoc was the unexpected twist of my life. It was certainly nothing short of challenges. Having my mom there as a mediator has helped, but we’ve also learned to accept each other for who we are. I’m an ENTP, and she’s an ISFP. Challenger and artist meet. It’s a very interesting combo. Sharing the P part of the MBTI code along with ample free time not only makes it easier for us to accept 1 another but also expand upon our marriage as well. A thurst for adventure enhances my enjoyment for variety making Ngoc’s presence in my life extra fun and pleasurable.
I’m grateful that after living in the Northeast U.S. for 38 years, I finally found the courage to move away from a life, work culture, and climate that was no longer resonating with me.
I mentioned my birth father yesterday, and while I would still accept a friendly relationship with him, I’m glad he left my mom and me when I was a toddler. He was an addict, and his actions allowed us to have a better life. My dad (step dad) is the best dad I could have asked for, and his family accepted us with open arms and have treated me like blood for 44 years.
I’m grateful I decided to leave the college I was at in Charleston to go to the midwest, as it gave me the opportunity to reunite with my birth father’s family and spend more time with my mom’s side of the family.
Learning to surf at age 22 offered me a huge community of people I might not have known otherwise, and I later found myself running and all-girls surf contest and getting to do great things for women competing in a field that was largely male dominated.
I didn’t marry until I was 30, thinking it would have a better chance of lasting since my mom and her sisters all married young and all got divorced. But I’m glad that marriage didn’t last for many reasons, but especially because I am now with my soulmate.
Getting fired from my job managing a small holistic pet food and supplement store. That was in 2017, just a few months after I ended my 1st marriage. I had a big solo trip planned to Costa Rica, and they fired me 2 days prior. It was all a big plan since I wouldn’t join their cult (that’s a whole post of its own), but I held my head high, had the best 10 days of surf I’ve ever had in my life, came home and found myself working in a holistic grocery store. Then a new Whole Foods opened nearby, I landed a leadership job there and met my husband who was running prep foods.
Lastly, I’m glad our restaurant didn’t thrive and that we were smart enough to get out before we lost all our money. That area of the lowcountry was not friendly or nice or accepting (some southern country folk really hate people from up north – for no reason – and my husband is from Pennsylvania). Catering was much more fun, but closing the restaurant and deciding to leave that area brought us to a new city, via a brief stint in the mountains, and I’m excited to be on this path and be able to restart my YTT!!
Life is like a box of chocolates…. you never know what you’re gonna get 🙂
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I fell in love and was married after 2 years of college. I met my children’s father while in College. For 10 years life to me seemed great. We had beautiful homes, travelled, biked and sailed. However, what seemed like “typical college days of partying” slowly became evident off and on that my spouse would have episodes of addiction. He was a workaholic and would spiral after burning out from working so hard. He worked in sales so was able to hide it well from most of his employers but eventually some would address it. I became pregnant with my daughter after 10 years of marriage and again the addiction was not always clear to me as a problem “Love is blind!!. After all I was raised catholic and I believed in “in sickness and in health….”, my son was born 2 years after my daughter. After 22 years of marriage and after my Mother died when I was 40, I became more aware of how the drinking and drugging was affecting our family. I could hear my Mother always questioning things in my mind. Plus womanizing seemed to be something I questioned constantly. It took a lot of courage and close friends and family to help me make the decision to divorce and as a result I fought for full custodial rights. At that time my children were in 6th grade and 8th. It wasn’t easy but I am a much stronger and independent person and have very close relationships with both my children. I am grateful for making that decision. I can recall my father asking me “Are you sure?” and I knew it was the right thing to do for my children and myself.
How brave you are. Robin Ann. Your children have a wonderful Mom…one who cared for them…and cared to make a good and safe life.
That must have taken courage, Robin Ann.
You just knew it was time to change course.
One unexpected twist that I’m grateful for is when my family and I moved when I was in 5th grade. At first I was upset about leaving my friends, but I now realize that I actually prefer it here and I have some great new friends! Of course I miss my old friends, some I was really close with, but I’m grateful that I knew them and for what I learned from them. 🙂
I am so glad that you are liking the new place that you moved to, and have made some great new friends, Jordin!
I seem to be one of those people
who learn more from tragedy
than from joy and success.
I have lost much,
but have gained more.
I was heartbroken that my first son died,
but grateful
that in the long term,
in the big picture,
his death brought healing
in ways I had never expected.
When he died
I descended into an abyss of drug addiction,
(and much of what comes with it)
which lasted for years.
My marriage was destroyed,
and I ran away.
After finally clawing my way out
I was eventually healed . . .
I am grateful now,
for that experience,
as it has humbled me,
and freed me from judgement of others . . .
and given me more empathy for others
who find themselves in dire circumstances,
.
In retrospect,
it’s been those twists and turns
that have made who I am
and who I continue to be.
Surviving them
has made me a better person . . .
kinder,
wiser,
and more compassionate.
Dear Sparrow, I didn’t have children, and can only imagine
the depths of despair you have experienced.
I have read responses from you at this site for years
and have always found your responses to be exceptionally kind and wise.
I have no doubt that your healing must have been profound.
♥️
Sparrow, your words touched me deeply, brought a tear to my eye. I am so sorry you lost your son.
I admire your strength & honesty & resilience. Hugs & love to you. 🤗❤️
Thank you, dear Sparrow for sharing. My heart ached for you while reading your story. You indeed are a survivor and we are all so happy you are here and share your life and your wisdom.
Dear Sparrow, addiction is truly a title nine, equal opportunity, never discriminates, affliction………….it has affected and affects every socio-economic group, and/or any other way a person would want to classify us human beings.
Thank you for sharing Sparrow. So sorry to hear about the loss of your son!
Your honest sharing inspires me, Sparrow. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing, Sparrow.
I’m grateful for the unexpected turns that happen after I left my hometown my early twenties. This was a very hard thing for me because all my family and friends where there, but I knew that I would have better opportunities somewhere else. And I thought I would live there forever till I met my hubby and we moved to another state. I think I have always been very open to change and all the possibilities that come with it. Follow your heart.
Happy Thursday.
The first thing that comes to mind is switching high schools for my junior and senior years. The new school offered a wonderful music program and I am blessed to be talented vocally. It led to voice lessons and many years of performing vocally. Then the vocal ability led to a lot of community theatre productions and wonderful friendships. It also led to both volunteer and paid vocal jobs.
Due to alcoholism in my family, I was introduced to the 12-Steps. I learned so much about myself in that program. I also was given the opportunity to be there for others.
My parents were divorced when I was a pre-schooler and I was determined to never be divorced but it happened after 35 years of marriage and thankfully after my children were raised and out of our home. I started over alone in my mid-fifties and learned how co-dependent I had been. It was so scary and challenging because I was forced to grow and to own my thoughts, feelings and actions…no scapegoats were allowed.
For all of these twists and turns, I am grateful.
Carol, what a special soul you are…life is mountains and valleys and then we don’t have to work as hard. Sometimes we have learned what we needed to know and other times we continue to strive to learn to make our life better. You have done it all, Carol and truly are an inspiration. God Bless You.
Your story always inspires me Carol.
As yours inspires me, Joseph.
Thank you for sharing Carol. I was also very co-dependent when I was younger,
I had to stand alone to realize I was codependent. And it took me many years to have the courage to do that. I just kept coming around the mountain and ending up in the same spot over and over!
Thank you for this honest sharing, Carol.
The 12-step program continues to support me as a recovering codependent. One of the greatest gifts I received during the most challenging years was a skilled, caring therapist who guided me onto a healing path. Thanks to her & on-going work, difficulties still gift me in unexpected ways.
Like you, Carol, I am grateful. Let us continue to continue.
It’s a wonderful program.
Wonderful Carol, I’m very interested in theatre myself. I cant wait to get the chance to act in a play one day.
Go to auditions…even if you’re shaking in your boots!
I do. Thank you!
I applaud you, Carol! You are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you for your kind words, Linda.
Just about all of them, even the ones that were painful or difficult when I was in the midst of the twist. They made me who I am and I’m comfortable with myself. I have skills and characteristics that I bring to new difficulties because I know I handled the ones in the past.
A couple in particular:
Going to a women’s political conference, which led directly to running for and being elected to the Idaho State Legislature. I served for a term in the House and a term in the Senate, which put me on the path of public policy and public service I’ve been on ever since and which is my calling.
Starting to bike commute, which led to meeting the love of my life and embarking on not one but two new career paths. I told this story on the stage at the 2017 National Bike Summit and wrote a blog post capturing a bit of it (mostly about the work because of the venue): https://bikestylelife.com/2011/11/19/keep-your-weather-eye-open/.
Both of those are beautiful twists, Barb C– and ones where you took the first step, but then were open to where it led you.
A few years ago I went through a phase of making the effort to ride my bike sometimes when I would have driven. It always took an extra mental effort to get started with my bike instead of my car, but then I would feel SO JOYFUL riding my bike, and SO ALIVE afterwards after my little adventure.
I kind of have dropped away from that and my bike needs the tires inflated, but your post inspires me to think of getting back into that once the weather warms up.
Glad to hear you’ll consider riding again. It makes me feel like a kid, and also so strong and free, and that’s worth it!
There have been so many twists & turns in my life that I have to say I am thankful for every one of them. I am especially thankful that I moved from a small town in the Midwest to San Francisco & spent much of my life there. The life experiences, the places I went, the people I met have all contributed to who I currently am. I feel so blessed that my eyes were opened wide, my mind expanded & I got to experience, live things I never would have, had I stayed in the safe confines of my home town.
All the twists & turns have made me strong, resilient, flexible & able to accept & embrace change as it comes. I need all those traits plus many more as I embrace life in a new place without my husband, brother & mother, all were my anchors. I have to be my own anchor now. ✨🙏🏻✨
We were writing almost the same words at the same time–have to be thankful for all of them because they made us who we are.
OMG it is amazing how many twists, turns, tumbles, roller coasters, this 80+ years have brought. As a young one, I wanted to be a nurse. By circumstances I ended up in education. I have been in various positions and have so many friends because of that. I am grateful.
Now, I am in a giving care position which has forced me to learn about medical decisions. I guess I got my wish in a unique way.
Many of you have heard my story before and just yesterday I commented on SunnyPatti’s post with a partial “same” story. But here goes!! There have been devastation and love in so many changes, twists,and turns in my life. I was an only child, my Mom was about 42 when I was born (can you imagine that in 1952!!) My Mom married later in life and she was one of 10 children–so perhaps that is why I am an only child! 🙂 My father had been married once before and had 2 boys. I never met one of his sons until I was in my 20’s but the other I got to know and love…I met him when I was about 5. My father was an alcoholic- a working and functioning man…but an alcoholic all the same. My Mom died of a cerebral hemorrage suddenly when I was 14. We were not well off…we lived in apartment houses in New Jersey where my parents were “Superintendants”..we received our apartment for free and maybe a bit of money for the upkeep of the building and maintenance work. The floors of these apartment houses were made of subway tiles- There were 4 floors. My Mom would mop these floors once a week…with a huge and heavy mop. She was a worker. My Dad had an outside job as well…otherwise we would be very poor. After my mom died- my father made bad decisions and took up with a woman who was also an alcoholic (she actually had been a friend of my parents and her husband passed away before my mother). This woman made my life hell on earth. I babysat for 3 very rough children and what I was paid I was expected to pay for my clothes and the clothes of this woman’s daughter (the same age as me)..dental care…etc. I was 14 and 15 years old. By the time I was 16 I could not longer take it. I (along with the woman’s daughter) ran away. My half brother was married and had 4 young children…he took both of us in… I never experienced such a loving and caring home. We lived in a house that my brother had bought…we had dinner together as a family. My SIL packed our lunch for school…WOW! As my neices have often said “out of your suffering, Aunt Nannette you were brought to us”. I was the one to gain! I learned how to love many . I graduated high school – went to Nursing School…worked for many years as a nurse- went back to schoolf or my BS, MS and PhD (my parents never completed grade schol!)..and at the age of 52 married for the first time..a wonderful man. I always wanted to live in the country, have a safe place for my dog to run and live in my very own house. I have all of that and more. I had some dificult years, but my life has more than made up for it. I am now thankkful to God for each day and thankful to this Community of Grateful Living for helping me realize how beautiful life is. I apologize for the length of this post. I just kept writing. Wishing you all a beautiful day. Oh and those neices are still a very important part of my life. My brother passed away a few years ago- but I got to be with him and say how much I loved him as he left this world. My sister in law is still going strong and making life better for all she meets.
This is such an amazing and beautiful story, Nannette.
I read it twice.
I am so happy your brother was kind and generous.
He helped you to get started on the life you had always deserved.
Much love and peace to you!
Thank you for sharing your story Nannette – like the others have said, very inspiring:)
🙏Namaste dear Nannette.
Thank you for sharing Nannette, you are a bright star in my eyes!
Robin Ann, Thank you for such kind words.
You have truly brought profound meaning to a very challenging life. Thank you for sharing it with us. Hugs, Carol
Thank you, Carol. Your words bring me to tears…and so very thoughtful. Thank you for the virtual hug…it is much appreciated.
Indeed,
dear Nannette,
your life
has had many twists and turns,
which points out to me,
that adversity can be overcome.
You are a grateful hero,
and have earned all you have been given.
Thank you for sharing with us
your beautiful, rich life. ♥
Nanette, you have lived quite the life! You overcame so much and your gratitude for it all shows in your writing. Thank you for sharing 🩷
Thank you for sharing your story. This is so inspiring 💜
I can’t believe that I am already feeling gratitude for this, but on Sept 29 of this year, my life plan fell apart when I learned that the spiritual teacher I had been following for over 20 years had harmed some of his closest students. For the past 9 months before that I had been in training to volunteer with the organization that spread this teacher’s teachings. I had thought that one of my main purposes in life going forward was going to be following those teachings to the best of my abilities and supporting that organization in helping others to learn and practice those teachings. After going through a period of intense grief, I am actually feeling grateful and empowered now. I am enjoying the chance to learn to listen more to my Inner Knowing rather than relying on one teacher alone. I am grateful to connect with this community here. I am grateful to be exploring and feeling empowered by feminine images of the divine. I am grateful to have a little time available to potentially engage in activism given the state of the world and our country, rather than feeling like all of my free time is dedicated to that teacher and his organization.
Oh Elizabeth…what a devastating and difficult time it has to have been for you. To find someone and something you believed in was not completely true. However; it seems that as difficult as it has been for you…you have learned and are moving on a much stronger and capable person.
I can relate in some ways. I am Catholic and as you have heard there has been much abuse in the Catholic Church. I cannot leave my faith…because I know this is man’s doing and not the work of God. But still a very difficult lesson. Thank you for sharing this part of your life.
Elizabeth that must have been such painful news to learn! Thank you for sharing.
Straight out of college, I was recommended by a a Marketing Professor for a job at an advertising firm.
I had been pretty successful at writing ads in my projects for his class.
So I interviewed for, and got a job as a media buyer.
The job entailed looking at advertising plans,
and then selecting the media, (radio, magazine etc) which would best reach and persuade the target market.
This required fast decision making, and lots of typing, then on to the next job.
This was absolutely not my skill set.
I could barely type and felt very insecure choosing the best media to use,
much less specific magazines or newspapers.
I lost the job. 😐
So I decided to do something which would not be so fast paced.
I managed a book and gift shop in an eclectic area of town.
To make a long story short ( I know, too late for that),
I met the man, I would marry, my husband, at that bookstore, so many years ago.
We make plans, God laughs.
I don’t really believe God laugh at our plans,
but life has taken me through many unexpected paths, that have led me to my life as it is now.
Peace, peace, peace to all.
Love this, thank you for sharing!
Isn’t it funny how life happens? Always on God’s terms rather than our own. Thank you for sharing 💜
What a great sharing of your life!! Thank you, Mary. It sounds like you are right where you need to be. God Bless You!
So many twists and turns. I am grateful for all of them. They have all led me here. It turns out, all that dread and fear was unnecessary.
And we are so glad you are here, Charlie T!! You add much to this wonderful group. Thank you!
Marrying Ngoc was the unexpected twist of my life. It was certainly nothing short of challenges. Having my mom there as a mediator has helped, but we’ve also learned to accept each other for who we are. I’m an ENTP, and she’s an ISFP. Challenger and artist meet. It’s a very interesting combo. Sharing the P part of the MBTI code along with ample free time not only makes it easier for us to accept 1 another but also expand upon our marriage as well. A thurst for adventure enhances my enjoyment for variety making Ngoc’s presence in my life extra fun and pleasurable.
I’m grateful that after living in the Northeast U.S. for 38 years, I finally found the courage to move away from a life, work culture, and climate that was no longer resonating with me.
That had to take much courage…good for you to make such a change. I hope that you are happy in your new environment.
Lauryn, I heard about the massive wildfires going on there last Sunday.
I mentioned my birth father yesterday, and while I would still accept a friendly relationship with him, I’m glad he left my mom and me when I was a toddler. He was an addict, and his actions allowed us to have a better life. My dad (step dad) is the best dad I could have asked for, and his family accepted us with open arms and have treated me like blood for 44 years.
I’m grateful I decided to leave the college I was at in Charleston to go to the midwest, as it gave me the opportunity to reunite with my birth father’s family and spend more time with my mom’s side of the family.
Learning to surf at age 22 offered me a huge community of people I might not have known otherwise, and I later found myself running and all-girls surf contest and getting to do great things for women competing in a field that was largely male dominated.
I didn’t marry until I was 30, thinking it would have a better chance of lasting since my mom and her sisters all married young and all got divorced. But I’m glad that marriage didn’t last for many reasons, but especially because I am now with my soulmate.
Getting fired from my job managing a small holistic pet food and supplement store. That was in 2017, just a few months after I ended my 1st marriage. I had a big solo trip planned to Costa Rica, and they fired me 2 days prior. It was all a big plan since I wouldn’t join their cult (that’s a whole post of its own), but I held my head high, had the best 10 days of surf I’ve ever had in my life, came home and found myself working in a holistic grocery store. Then a new Whole Foods opened nearby, I landed a leadership job there and met my husband who was running prep foods.
Lastly, I’m glad our restaurant didn’t thrive and that we were smart enough to get out before we lost all our money. That area of the lowcountry was not friendly or nice or accepting (some southern country folk really hate people from up north – for no reason – and my husband is from Pennsylvania). Catering was much more fun, but closing the restaurant and deciding to leave that area brought us to a new city, via a brief stint in the mountains, and I’m excited to be on this path and be able to restart my YTT!!
Life is like a box of chocolates…. you never know what you’re gonna get 🙂
And they say, “those damn Yankees!”
Thank you for sharing Sunnypatty, it has been so neat reading everyone’s stories!
Sunnypatti, what a great way to look at hardships. It all works out.
They weren’t all hardships, but thank you! Life has a way of working itself out when we learn to let go and trust God.