Today was the day! The excitement she felt inside was so close to the surface that she thought she would burst. She could barely sleep the night before in anticipation for this day. She had awaited it for such a long time. It had been highlighted on her small calender that she had on a little white table next to her bed. Everynight before she went to sleep, she would cross off the day and count the remaining until this day. And now it was here. It was October 17th. The day her dad was taking her to the toystore to buy a new doll.
She didn't have a specific doll in mind. She had seen all of the commercials on TV with all of the different ones she could choose from. There were the ones that talk, drink, give a bath to, and even change the diaper. She didn't necessarily care so much about the features of the doll as much as she did about how she would feel when she would hold that doll in her arms. You see, she wanted to take care of her doll and love it. She wanted to protect it and make it happy. She would show her doll just how lucky it was to have her. She had so much to give and wanted to give it all to this new doll that she would treasure.
Up until now, it had been just her and her dad, and he was the most important person in her life. She adored him and he would do anything for her. She was such a lovable little girl. She had a personality that made everyone love her. She had charisma, sweetness, and an ability to laugh and see the goodness in everything around her. She would do anything for anybody, even if they didn't quite deserve it. She loved to give, even if the only thing she had to give was a kind word or a smile. But, the best thing about her was her natural ability to love. Since she was very young, she loved to be affectionate and hug and cuddle. She loved to touch and feel. Maybe this was due to the fact that as a baby, she couldn't be touched very much. She was born with so many problems that the first few years of her life were spent in and out of doctors offices and operating rooms. All of these wonderful qualities made up for any small problems that she might have had in other areas. Those didn't so matter so much. Her dad made her feel like a princess and she thought him a king.
The day began early as she ran into her father's room and climbed up onto his bed. She awoke him, not with demanding shouts to wake up, but with a great big hug and gentle whispers in his ear.
"Do you remember what today is?"
He pretended not to remember and asked, "Is it first day of school?"
"No, that was last month! Today is the day we go to the Toy Store." She responded.
"Oh yes, that's right? Well then, we better get ready!"
He was just as anxious to see her happy as she was to find her new treasured friend. He knew she never asked for very much. But this is something she wanted so very badly and he knew it.
They drove to the store and parked the car. She grabbed her dad's hand and practically pulled him across the parking lot. They entered the store and she knew exactly where they were headed. She could not be distracted by all of the other featured toys that were displayed all over the store. She wasn't moved by the lights and sounds of the electronics, neither was she tempted by the flashy handheld games with all of their promises of audiovisual stimulation. She was focused and she had a feeling that her new doll was as anxious for her arrival as she was to find her.
As they neared the area of the store with all of the dolls, she let go of her father's hand and skipped ahead of him a few yards. "Come on, dad!" she urged anxiously.
Her dad knew how excited she was for this day and how much she had thought and dreamed about this moment. He wanted to let her soak it all in and explore all of her possibilities. They had talked about the price range she would have to stay within and the rest was up to her.
She walked right past the Barbie Dolls. Not only were they too small and skinny, but they were kind of cold due to the fact that they had every material thing that a human had. She looked for a doll that would appreciate her and be a little less focused on all of the material things.
She took a few minutes with each doll, picking it up, holding it, rocking it, and examining all of it's hands and feet and hair. She was interrupted by another girl who was with her mom. This other girl was crying about something that she wanted. But she wasn't just crying. She was really mad and was yelling at her mom so loud that other people in the store looked over to see what was going on. The girl didn't seem to mind that she was drawing so much attention to herself, and continued to cry and scream and after another minute or two, started to jump up and down and get all red in the face. She told her mom that she was a bad mom for not getting her the toy she wanted. Was that true? Was her mom bad for not getting her what she wanted? She must really want something bad to be so hurtful to her mom. Why didn't her mom just give it to her? Did she believe that tantruming and screaming would get her what she wanted? Her mom soon took her and guided her out of the department and probably out of the store. She wondered why the girl didn't just ask her mom more nicely about the toy. She looked over at her dad to see him just shaking his head a little but when he caught his daughter's glance, he gave her a wink and a big smile.
She went back to her task at hand. She really like the dolls that had arms and legs that could move because she really wanted to be able to teach her how to dance and walk and do all of the fun things that required agility and mobility. She didn't mind if they didn't have hair or not. Hair could be fun, but could also be a problem if she got candy or gum stuck in it. One thing that she did want was a doll that was happy. She wanted her doll to have a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eye. That way she would know that she was happy all the time. She didn't want her new best friend to ever be mad at her and tell her she was a bad friend or to be crying loud just to get what she wanted.
She walked over to her dad and asked, "Do you think I'll ever find the right one, Dad?" Her dad answered her with the wisdom that only a father can have. "You don't need to be in a hurry, darling. Take your time and find just the right one. After all, you are going to be together for a long time, so you need to make sure you pick the best one for you."
With that encouragement, she walked back to where she left off. There was another older girl close by, but she was focused on one specific doll. It was a smaller doll. A doll that looked like a teenager with makeup on. It was okay, but it had it didn't have a very friendly face. The girl looked around, as if to check if her mom was around. Maybe she was lost. She walked around the corner for a minute and then came back, only she wasn't carrying the doll anymore. Where did she put it. Did she change her mind about the doll and leave it somewhere? How could she be so focused on the doll one moment and then just let it go? The girl suddenly didn't seem to care at all about the dolls. She seemed in a hurry to get out of that section. She even bumped into the little girl as if she didn't even notice she was there. What happened? Maybe she was sick. Suddenly, two men in uniforms walked up to her as she was hurrying off and asked her to open the bag she was carrying. Just then, a man came walking up looking for her. The man asked these two men what problem they had with his daughter. He stopped mid sentence when he saw her take the teenage looking doll out of her bag. He just looked at her for a minute and asked her, "You were stealing that doll? Why would you steal? You know better than that!" She answered him softly, "You said I couldn't have it and I really wanted it, so I decided to take it anyway."
The two men in uniform asked them to follow them to a different place. They started to follow them. The girl looked scared and started crying as they walked away. The little girl wondered what they would do to her. Would she go to jail? Why didn't her dad buy the doll? He must have told her the reason. Why would she steal it and risk getting into so much trouble? Once again, she caught her dad's glance and this time they just looked at eachother, and without words, she told him that she never wanted to do that and it was a bit scary.
As she approached the end of the doll aisle, she noticed something. Inside a plastic display case, was the most beautiful doll she had ever seen. It's long flowing curly hair was the exact same color blonde as hers and she even had green eyes, just like her! She wanted to hold it and examine it as she did the others, but she couldn't. The only thing she could do was push a red button that said 'Demo' next to it. She pushed the big, red button and couldn't believe what happened next. This most beautiful doll she had ever seen came alive! She began to move and talk. She looked so real and so life-like. After a moment of talking, she began to sing a song. Not just any song either. It was the song that her dad sang to her everynight. She instantly knew that this was the doll she wanted. She called her dad over and announced that she had made her choice and this was the one she wanted. She showed the demo to her dad, explaining that the eyes blinked and she could talk and sing and move and read books that were sold separately at $12.95 a piece. This was the doll she wanted. She asked her dad to reach one of the large boxes that were up on one of the higher shelves.
She was so happy! She was beginning to wonder if she would ever find just the right doll and here it was right in front of her! She knew she had made the right choice and that she was going to love this doll with all of her heart forever and ever. Her father even agreed that it was a beautiful, fabulous doll. The only thing left to do was to bring it home and hook her up to her dad's computer and digitally program her with all of her personal information so they could interact. She was so excited. This was going to bring her so much joy. But her excitement quickly changed to sorrow when her dad told her that she would have to choose another doll. He told her that this one was way too expensive. It was more than double the price that they had discussed paying. It was an amazing doll, but the cost was too great! She felt her heart start to break inside of her chest. She could feel the tears welling up inside of her eyes. She could feel her mouth start to curl like it always did whenever she wanted to cry. A few quick breaths escaped her before her dad scooped her up into his arms, allowing her to bury her face into his neck. She just stayed there for awhile. What could she do? Her father held her as tight as he ever had and just kept telling her that he loved her and that together they would find a special doll that she could love and hold and take care of and that that doll would be perfect.
The little girl cried some but looked up in time to see the older girl walking out of some office followed by her dad and some police officers. She was also crying and her dad had his arm around her shoulder, but he didn't look too happy. The girl was glad she wasn't in trouble for stealing like that girl. Her dad asked her if she still felt like looking for a doll and she shook her head no. With her dad still holding on tight and carrying her toward the exit, the little girl noticed the other little girl that was still crying and tantruming about something that she wanted. The mom was telling her that not only was she not going to get what she wanted but she was going to go home and go spend some time alone in her room. She again was glad not to be that girl. She was sad that she couldn't have the beautiful blonde doll that seemed to be the perfect one, but she was glad to be in the loving arms of her father and she knew that what he said was true. They were going to find that perfect doll together and it would be the right one for her. She didn't know when it would be, but she trusted that her dad would keep his promise and help her. She squeezed her dad as tight as she could and told him that she loved him as they walked out of the store and back to the car. Her father thought to himself how very proud he was of his daughter for trusting in him. He loved her so much and knew that she deserved so much more and he vowed to himself, and silently to her, that he would make sure that before too long, she would get all that she deserved and even more.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Saturday, September 5, 2009
It's all part of "The Plan"!
I haven't written in quite some time. This summer was bumpy. I won't go into the details because, frankly, I don't feel like reliving them. It's now Labor Day weekend. Summer is officially over. No more white clothing. What? I always hated that "law"...no white after Labor Day. My boys are with their dad this weekend and he took them to visit his family in Utah, so I get the whole weekend to myself. One of the things that I decided I would do is spend some time writing. I love to write, nothing in particular, just start and see where my thoughts take me. Unlike some bloggers, I'm not one to tell about vacations or family outings as much as I tell about what's going on in this ol' brain of mine. And honestly, I don't really blog for the purpose of having others read it, even though I have 2 followers. Thanks Traci and Danielle! I mostly blog because I enjoy sitting down at the computer and doing some self-introspection while I listen to some good music. Sometimes I repeat things that I have said on other blog entries. I guess that just means that those are things that I am thinking about alot. Ok, well here goes.......free writing. Enjoy!
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to chat with someone that I haven't spoken to in approximately 2o years. It was fun. The only part that I really hate about that is that they want me to fill them in on everything thats happened in my life in that past 2 decades. I usually start out by telling that I am recently divorced and from there, after they express their sympathies, I explain how it's a good thing and that I am ok about it. I will then go into about how I came to the decision to get divorced and where the marriage failed. Why do I feel the need to do this? I never even ask the person if they want to hear this whole explanation. I just automatically start justifying my decision to end my marriage. I guess I know why I do it. I do it because I grew up learning and I believe, no, I know that divorce is not a good thing. It hurts all involved.
When I got married, I thought it was forever. I intended for it to be forever. Even though I knew that I wasn't perfect and neither was the guy I was marrying, I thought that if we loved eachother and worked at making it last, we could make it work. The key phrase is: "if we loved eachother and worked at making it last". If one or both stop working at it for whatever reason, then its hard. Understandably too, I guess, is the reasoning that when it's all such hard work, and not much joy, it gets absolutely exhausting. You start to wonder if marriage is supposed to be so dang exhausting. I certainly have seen couples that make it look easy, and fun to be married and wonder if they are the exception rather than the rule. It just makes me crazy that such a difficult decision like choosing a person to live with and love for the rest of your life is taken on at such a young age. I remember feeling like an old maid when I was single at 24 yrs of age. Now, I look back and think that, like drinking alcohol, marriage should have a legal coming of age!! I know that this is the ramblings of one who didn't make good decisions and is trying to justify her bad decisions by blaming it on society and the rules of society. The truth is that I'm sure I knew in my heart of hearts that I was making a bad decision and went through with it anyway. Why? Because that's just where I was at the time. I wasn't trying to be stupid or rebellious, I just made a mistake, and am living with the consequences of that mistake. He wasn't a bad person, but there were red flags. That's the thing: you have the freedom to make choices, but you do not have the freedom to choose the consequences of those choices. It's a package deal. Sorry. I am now trying to take inventory of the lessons I learned from those choices so as not to continue to make the same mistakes. Isn't that what life is all about?
Ok, here is the crux of the matter!! The point that I really want to talk about. Talking about my marriage is boring and uninteresting. I talk about it all the time and I know, without anyone telling me, that it is excruciatingly painful to listen to anymore!!
The real point is this: We are sent here to this earth for a brief mortal sojourn for a reason. We are all different and have different strengths and weaknesses that we were born with. We will all make different mistakes and we will all accomplish different things during this short time that we exist on this planet. Some may wonder if our being here even has any significance. Well, I strongly believe that it does. Every part of me believes that God sent us here to earth for a purpose. He knows us and knows that we are going to make mistakes. He didn't just place us here and hope that we don't screw ourselves up too badly.
So we come to this earth, sometimes under ideal circumstances, sometimes not. We go through this life taking from every experience, every circumstance, and from these we form our own perceptions. These things form who we are. We absorb everything - every word we are told, every emotion that we feel, everything we see, hear and participate in. Every single thing goes into to making us who we will be. We absorb it all, we record it all, and it becomes a part of us. There are some things that make a bigger impression on our souls than others. There are things that really define us and go into the formation of our core belief systems and our characters. The hope is that we are funneled more positive, and the negative, more damaging things, will be filtered with the help of parents, teachers, loved one, and other mentors. Unfortunately, as we have seen, the ones who should be protecting kids from the damaging things are sometimes those very people that do the most damage. Ouch! God knew that there would be sickos and psychos and wackos all having babies and doing a wonderful job in messing up these kids' lives. He knew and he knows and he cares. All will be taken into consideration when it comes time to evaluate our lives. Every circumstance, every chemical imbalance, every teaching or lack of teaching, every experience and every thought that went into the making of every decision that we make will be taken into consideration. Those who were taught more and had more opportunities for learning in a healthy environment will be held more accountable obviously. That makes sense.
I know that God exists and I know that He is aware of us. We are His spirit children. He cares about us and how we are doing. He is in charge. I know that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way and to break chains that we couldn't possibly break on our own. He also loves us more than we will ever understand. Of course bad things happen sometimes. These things are allowed to happen not to hurt us or punish us, but to help us grow and become stronger and learn. We have all heard the addage: What doesn't kill us makes us stronger! It's so true! If we were spared from all of the adversity and hard lessons, we wouldn't be able to learn and grow as much as we do when we choose to try to learn from every experience, positive and negative, that we go through. What about the children, the innocent children, that should never have to experience suffering, molestation, abuse, etc. Well, I agree that this is the most tragic part of it all. But I also believe that God is with those little ones and somehow gives them some added protection. Those that hurt children are in sorry shape when their day comes to answer to God. Even the ones that seem to go unpunished here will one day get their just punishment. God's timetable is not always our timetable. We just need to believe that He can see the whole picture and knows the end from the beginning and all will be settled in the end.
We all have to go through our own individual life. There are countless things that I have gone through in my life that I feel just aren't fair. If I analyze them all honestly, I have to admit that some of those things happened as a result of choices that I made earlier in my life. This life has a purpose. It is meant as a time for learning and growth. Learning how to function, learning how to master our appetites and passions, learning how to help others along on their journey through this life. We are all in this together. Unfortunately as we get older and get out of elementary school, there is nobody there to keep reminding us to share, to learn how to get along, to keep our hands to ourselves, to not say mean things to eachother, to not take things that don't belong to us, and to be sure to take turns.
I have a strong belief in the power of faith and prayer. I believe in miracles. I have had them in my own life. I know God can make more of me than I could ever do on my own, so I try to keep Him involved as much as I possibly can and trust He can make a way when it seems that there couldn't possibly be a way. He's done it for me. He can put thoughts into my brain and feelings into my heart that help me in my life. He can comfort me and give me peace and hope. I rely on Him. I love Him and I hope to one day be able to kneel before Him and His Son and thank them.
Don't ever give up! Sometimes we can't see the whole picture because of the problems we are facing and those problems seem so big that they block out everything else from our view. We can't see the future because we have this big obstacle in our way. If we hold up our thumb in front of the sun, we can actually hide the sun from our view. Are we actually covering up the sun? No, but our perspective is temporarily obstructed and we can't see "the light of day" due to that obstacle right in front of us.
God is in charge! It's all part of His "Plan"! He's there, He's aware, and He cares! This I know. If we stay close to Him, He will guide back to Him and hopefully we will have gotten out of this experience all that we needed to, and all that He would want us to.
Thanks for stopping by!
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to chat with someone that I haven't spoken to in approximately 2o years. It was fun. The only part that I really hate about that is that they want me to fill them in on everything thats happened in my life in that past 2 decades. I usually start out by telling that I am recently divorced and from there, after they express their sympathies, I explain how it's a good thing and that I am ok about it. I will then go into about how I came to the decision to get divorced and where the marriage failed. Why do I feel the need to do this? I never even ask the person if they want to hear this whole explanation. I just automatically start justifying my decision to end my marriage. I guess I know why I do it. I do it because I grew up learning and I believe, no, I know that divorce is not a good thing. It hurts all involved.
When I got married, I thought it was forever. I intended for it to be forever. Even though I knew that I wasn't perfect and neither was the guy I was marrying, I thought that if we loved eachother and worked at making it last, we could make it work. The key phrase is: "if we loved eachother and worked at making it last". If one or both stop working at it for whatever reason, then its hard. Understandably too, I guess, is the reasoning that when it's all such hard work, and not much joy, it gets absolutely exhausting. You start to wonder if marriage is supposed to be so dang exhausting. I certainly have seen couples that make it look easy, and fun to be married and wonder if they are the exception rather than the rule. It just makes me crazy that such a difficult decision like choosing a person to live with and love for the rest of your life is taken on at such a young age. I remember feeling like an old maid when I was single at 24 yrs of age. Now, I look back and think that, like drinking alcohol, marriage should have a legal coming of age!! I know that this is the ramblings of one who didn't make good decisions and is trying to justify her bad decisions by blaming it on society and the rules of society. The truth is that I'm sure I knew in my heart of hearts that I was making a bad decision and went through with it anyway. Why? Because that's just where I was at the time. I wasn't trying to be stupid or rebellious, I just made a mistake, and am living with the consequences of that mistake. He wasn't a bad person, but there were red flags. That's the thing: you have the freedom to make choices, but you do not have the freedom to choose the consequences of those choices. It's a package deal. Sorry. I am now trying to take inventory of the lessons I learned from those choices so as not to continue to make the same mistakes. Isn't that what life is all about?
Ok, here is the crux of the matter!! The point that I really want to talk about. Talking about my marriage is boring and uninteresting. I talk about it all the time and I know, without anyone telling me, that it is excruciatingly painful to listen to anymore!!
The real point is this: We are sent here to this earth for a brief mortal sojourn for a reason. We are all different and have different strengths and weaknesses that we were born with. We will all make different mistakes and we will all accomplish different things during this short time that we exist on this planet. Some may wonder if our being here even has any significance. Well, I strongly believe that it does. Every part of me believes that God sent us here to earth for a purpose. He knows us and knows that we are going to make mistakes. He didn't just place us here and hope that we don't screw ourselves up too badly.
So we come to this earth, sometimes under ideal circumstances, sometimes not. We go through this life taking from every experience, every circumstance, and from these we form our own perceptions. These things form who we are. We absorb everything - every word we are told, every emotion that we feel, everything we see, hear and participate in. Every single thing goes into to making us who we will be. We absorb it all, we record it all, and it becomes a part of us. There are some things that make a bigger impression on our souls than others. There are things that really define us and go into the formation of our core belief systems and our characters. The hope is that we are funneled more positive, and the negative, more damaging things, will be filtered with the help of parents, teachers, loved one, and other mentors. Unfortunately, as we have seen, the ones who should be protecting kids from the damaging things are sometimes those very people that do the most damage. Ouch! God knew that there would be sickos and psychos and wackos all having babies and doing a wonderful job in messing up these kids' lives. He knew and he knows and he cares. All will be taken into consideration when it comes time to evaluate our lives. Every circumstance, every chemical imbalance, every teaching or lack of teaching, every experience and every thought that went into the making of every decision that we make will be taken into consideration. Those who were taught more and had more opportunities for learning in a healthy environment will be held more accountable obviously. That makes sense.
I know that God exists and I know that He is aware of us. We are His spirit children. He cares about us and how we are doing. He is in charge. I know that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way and to break chains that we couldn't possibly break on our own. He also loves us more than we will ever understand. Of course bad things happen sometimes. These things are allowed to happen not to hurt us or punish us, but to help us grow and become stronger and learn. We have all heard the addage: What doesn't kill us makes us stronger! It's so true! If we were spared from all of the adversity and hard lessons, we wouldn't be able to learn and grow as much as we do when we choose to try to learn from every experience, positive and negative, that we go through. What about the children, the innocent children, that should never have to experience suffering, molestation, abuse, etc. Well, I agree that this is the most tragic part of it all. But I also believe that God is with those little ones and somehow gives them some added protection. Those that hurt children are in sorry shape when their day comes to answer to God. Even the ones that seem to go unpunished here will one day get their just punishment. God's timetable is not always our timetable. We just need to believe that He can see the whole picture and knows the end from the beginning and all will be settled in the end.
We all have to go through our own individual life. There are countless things that I have gone through in my life that I feel just aren't fair. If I analyze them all honestly, I have to admit that some of those things happened as a result of choices that I made earlier in my life. This life has a purpose. It is meant as a time for learning and growth. Learning how to function, learning how to master our appetites and passions, learning how to help others along on their journey through this life. We are all in this together. Unfortunately as we get older and get out of elementary school, there is nobody there to keep reminding us to share, to learn how to get along, to keep our hands to ourselves, to not say mean things to eachother, to not take things that don't belong to us, and to be sure to take turns.
I have a strong belief in the power of faith and prayer. I believe in miracles. I have had them in my own life. I know God can make more of me than I could ever do on my own, so I try to keep Him involved as much as I possibly can and trust He can make a way when it seems that there couldn't possibly be a way. He's done it for me. He can put thoughts into my brain and feelings into my heart that help me in my life. He can comfort me and give me peace and hope. I rely on Him. I love Him and I hope to one day be able to kneel before Him and His Son and thank them.
Don't ever give up! Sometimes we can't see the whole picture because of the problems we are facing and those problems seem so big that they block out everything else from our view. We can't see the future because we have this big obstacle in our way. If we hold up our thumb in front of the sun, we can actually hide the sun from our view. Are we actually covering up the sun? No, but our perspective is temporarily obstructed and we can't see "the light of day" due to that obstacle right in front of us.
God is in charge! It's all part of His "Plan"! He's there, He's aware, and He cares! This I know. If we stay close to Him, He will guide back to Him and hopefully we will have gotten out of this experience all that we needed to, and all that He would want us to.
Thanks for stopping by!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
A Piece of Me
I have no idea where this is going to end up. I am just going to write and write until it's all out. Writing is therapy for me. It allows me to put all my feelings into words, and in doing so, discovering myself a little more. Doing this on my blog lets you share the experience and get to know me better. Buckle your seatbelts.
First thought: I wonder what it would feel like to achieve perfect balance in one's life. Isn't that the ultimate goal? To have the scale not be tipped too far to any one side? I'm a Libra (the scale) and sometimes my scale tips so far to one side that it catapults everything else off the scale, but not very often. Thank goodness. Of all the sides of the scale: emotional, physical, spiritual, and intellectual, the area in which I have the most work to do is the emotional side, I guess. I'm not a complete emotional wreck, but in the category of emotional are the sub-categories of trust, control, fears, self acceptance, boundaries, etc. And I'm no professional, I'm just going by what I have experienced. These other issues are the ones that I need to work on. Trust is a big one-knowing who to trust and who not to trust, how much trust to give, and when to give it. I tend to just dump it all out on the table right at first, and this is horribly dangerous and so reflective of my neediness. Ouch! That hurt just to say. To the receiver of this, it usually causes one reaction: terror and the desire to run, not walk, in the opposite direction. That's what I've observed at least. Unless the receiver is also a needy person. LOL. Then we can sit and stew together in one another's codepedence. MMmmmm, codependence stew! How toxic does that sound?
I think one of my problems that I need to get a handle on is that I love to be expressive. If I feel something, I express it. I say what I feel. I say too much. And along with that love of being expressive is the love of feeling. I love to feel....deeply feel. I love to laugh! Really. I'm talking gut busting, side splitting, eye watering, laughter. It doesn't happen very often, but I love it. It' the best. On the other hand, when I have sorrow I let myself really feel the sorrow. I let that sorrow become tangible by crying. Tears are touchable sorrow. Just ask my sons...they'll confirm it. If the sorrow is really deep, I cry out loud. Sounds dramatic, I know, but it's not too bad. The only thing I can say in my defense is that doing this helps me feel more alive.
When I listen to a song....I feel the song. I feel the words. I will just start spontaneously dancing or close my eyes and sing along and soak in the feelings that I am having about it. I would like to delve into that a little more but I will hold off for now. Another feeling that I love to really feel is when I feel in the Spirit. Very emotional for me. It just makes me want to pray and be so grateful for that blessing of having that experience. I can't even explain this one.
Going back to the being expressive part......I didn't always know how to do this. I couldn't express my self or put my feelings into words. I'm still learning how to do it effectively but I love it nevertheless. In my home, I not only have 5 volumes of journals (had 6 but lost my mission journal), but I also have notebooks with thoughts and ideas. If I hear a good quote from a talk or a line or monologue from a movie, I grab a notebook or a scrap of paper and jot it down. If a friend gives me some good advice, I write it down. I have so many pieces of paper jammed into my journals that I have to transfer. Big, small, and sticky notes, full of poems, song lyrics too. It's crazy! It's all part of MY book of Life! It's priceless to me.
I love to express myself so much that at times, it is dangerous. I say things I feel, and in some cases, I'm feeling things that I maybe I shouldn't....so guess what? It comes out. I may not feel that same feeling in 2 minutes or 2 hours or 2 days, but I felt then, in that moment. It comes out. This excludes hurtful or mean things normally. I hate mean people including myself when I am being mean. This attribute, that of saying what I feel in the moment, is sometimes too much for some people. I try not to scare people, but it most assuredly happens...inevitably and unavoidably.
I truly believe that God gave us this wonderful body, with all of its' exquisite abilities for a purpose. Our minds and bodies with their limitless capabilities are not intended to go unused. I believe, (and let me emphasize I) that He wants us to feel and experience our capacities. And of course we have to learn to bridle them and not go crazy. I believe that this life is a process of becoming and learning how to do this.....this is the hope atleast, but not everyone does. I think that He realizes that we will inevitably sow some wild oats and battle a lot of demons on this path to self mastery and some of those battles with some of those demons will be a lot harder than others. We all have different demons and different issues to deal with and master too. That's ok. That's a given. I'm not (too) embarassed to admit that I am a pretty "sensory" person. I love to feel every emotion: joy, sadness, touch, passion, etc. Am I the only one who thinks that its ok to be a spiritual giant and a freak?? Did I say that out loud? Perfect example of my expressiveness? Ok, now we're back to where I began. 360.
Balance. Keep the scales balanced. Going overboard in any one area isn't healthy, just as neglecting any one side isn't healthy. Like Mr. Miyagi said to Daniel-san, "Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, [life] good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up and go home. Understand?"
Now you have officially had a piece of me. Don't say I never gave you any! :)
First thought: I wonder what it would feel like to achieve perfect balance in one's life. Isn't that the ultimate goal? To have the scale not be tipped too far to any one side? I'm a Libra (the scale) and sometimes my scale tips so far to one side that it catapults everything else off the scale, but not very often. Thank goodness. Of all the sides of the scale: emotional, physical, spiritual, and intellectual, the area in which I have the most work to do is the emotional side, I guess. I'm not a complete emotional wreck, but in the category of emotional are the sub-categories of trust, control, fears, self acceptance, boundaries, etc. And I'm no professional, I'm just going by what I have experienced. These other issues are the ones that I need to work on. Trust is a big one-knowing who to trust and who not to trust, how much trust to give, and when to give it. I tend to just dump it all out on the table right at first, and this is horribly dangerous and so reflective of my neediness. Ouch! That hurt just to say. To the receiver of this, it usually causes one reaction: terror and the desire to run, not walk, in the opposite direction. That's what I've observed at least. Unless the receiver is also a needy person. LOL. Then we can sit and stew together in one another's codepedence. MMmmmm, codependence stew! How toxic does that sound?
I think one of my problems that I need to get a handle on is that I love to be expressive. If I feel something, I express it. I say what I feel. I say too much. And along with that love of being expressive is the love of feeling. I love to feel....deeply feel. I love to laugh! Really. I'm talking gut busting, side splitting, eye watering, laughter. It doesn't happen very often, but I love it. It' the best. On the other hand, when I have sorrow I let myself really feel the sorrow. I let that sorrow become tangible by crying. Tears are touchable sorrow. Just ask my sons...they'll confirm it. If the sorrow is really deep, I cry out loud. Sounds dramatic, I know, but it's not too bad. The only thing I can say in my defense is that doing this helps me feel more alive.
When I listen to a song....I feel the song. I feel the words. I will just start spontaneously dancing or close my eyes and sing along and soak in the feelings that I am having about it. I would like to delve into that a little more but I will hold off for now. Another feeling that I love to really feel is when I feel in the Spirit. Very emotional for me. It just makes me want to pray and be so grateful for that blessing of having that experience. I can't even explain this one.
Going back to the being expressive part......I didn't always know how to do this. I couldn't express my self or put my feelings into words. I'm still learning how to do it effectively but I love it nevertheless. In my home, I not only have 5 volumes of journals (had 6 but lost my mission journal), but I also have notebooks with thoughts and ideas. If I hear a good quote from a talk or a line or monologue from a movie, I grab a notebook or a scrap of paper and jot it down. If a friend gives me some good advice, I write it down. I have so many pieces of paper jammed into my journals that I have to transfer. Big, small, and sticky notes, full of poems, song lyrics too. It's crazy! It's all part of MY book of Life! It's priceless to me.
I love to express myself so much that at times, it is dangerous. I say things I feel, and in some cases, I'm feeling things that I maybe I shouldn't....so guess what? It comes out. I may not feel that same feeling in 2 minutes or 2 hours or 2 days, but I felt then, in that moment. It comes out. This excludes hurtful or mean things normally. I hate mean people including myself when I am being mean. This attribute, that of saying what I feel in the moment, is sometimes too much for some people. I try not to scare people, but it most assuredly happens...inevitably and unavoidably.
I truly believe that God gave us this wonderful body, with all of its' exquisite abilities for a purpose. Our minds and bodies with their limitless capabilities are not intended to go unused. I believe, (and let me emphasize I) that He wants us to feel and experience our capacities. And of course we have to learn to bridle them and not go crazy. I believe that this life is a process of becoming and learning how to do this.....this is the hope atleast, but not everyone does. I think that He realizes that we will inevitably sow some wild oats and battle a lot of demons on this path to self mastery and some of those battles with some of those demons will be a lot harder than others. We all have different demons and different issues to deal with and master too. That's ok. That's a given. I'm not (too) embarassed to admit that I am a pretty "sensory" person. I love to feel every emotion: joy, sadness, touch, passion, etc. Am I the only one who thinks that its ok to be a spiritual giant and a freak?? Did I say that out loud? Perfect example of my expressiveness? Ok, now we're back to where I began. 360.
Balance. Keep the scales balanced. Going overboard in any one area isn't healthy, just as neglecting any one side isn't healthy. Like Mr. Miyagi said to Daniel-san, "Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, [life] good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up and go home. Understand?"
Now you have officially had a piece of me. Don't say I never gave you any! :)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Object of the Game is to LEARN
Today has been a day for self analyzation. I had some extra time. Sometimes reaching way down deep can bring some old emotions to the surface. Sometimes, a person can say something (or write something) and it begins a process of unbridled thought. Now, that I think about it, this entry may be of a more esoteric nature. Perhaps I will save it for my journal. I will atleast put the lyrics to a song that I was introduced to today: And if you want to listen along, the song is track #13
The open wound she hides
She just keeps it bundled up
And never lets it show
She can't take much more of this
But she can't let it go
And that's ok, she don't want the world
All the things she says
While he's just lying there
Without someone to hear her cry
She slips off into a dream
About a place to hide
And that's ok, she don't want the world
This love she feels
Everything she's ever known
Or ever thought was real
Seems like it's been thrown away
Now how's she gonna live
It's ok, she don't want the world
Those words he never spoke
Haunt her life, the memories
Of all the times before
She tried to show him love
While he would only ask for more
But it's ok, she don't want the world
Softly in her sleep
Pictures of the life she's longingFor slowly appear
She's seen them all before
But somehow never quite this clear
She just smiles, she don't want the world
This love she feels Everything she's ever known
Or ever thought was real
Seems like it's been thrown away
Now how's she gonna live
It's ok, she don't want the world
A brand new morning shines
As she wakes up alone again
This time to face the day
She swears there's time to make it
As she simply walks away
And it's ok, she don't want the world
3 Doors Down
I don't want the world....but I was so sick of begging for somebody.....the person with whom I should have felt the safest....to toss me some scraps whenever he wanted. I know that I have issues that I need to deal with. I know things don't happen on accident. I needed to learn things from that experience, that marriage, that I hope I've learned well enough to not repeat them. Right now, unfortunately, I am capable of be satisfied with scraps. This is why I need to take time to figure myself out and get myself ready for greater things, greater people. I'm so scared that I will never trust a man to care for me. Most of the men in my life have ended up turning their backs on me. I got to the point that I would actually be drawn to these types and of course ended up marrying one. I would give everything and anything to have love. And that is a dangerous place to be. I am wise enough to know that I have to be careful for me in order to be careful for my boys. They are my work and my glory right now. I wouldn't want them to be hurt worse than they already are.
Another person quoted the title of a song that also gives me hope: Its track #108
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
[Chorus:]Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
[Chorus]Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.
Bless the Broken Road- Rascal Flatts
And one more reference that helps me:
D&C 122:7 ...know thou, my [daughter], that all these things shall give thee experience , and shall be for thy good.
I've traveled that broken road, but it's okay, because it will lead me to somebody wonderful, and because of the things I've experienced and how I've grown from them, I will be a grand prize for that person.
thanks for stopping by. Not exactly light reading I know.
The open wound she hides
She just keeps it bundled up
And never lets it show
She can't take much more of this
But she can't let it go
And that's ok, she don't want the world
All the things she says
While he's just lying there
Without someone to hear her cry
She slips off into a dream
About a place to hide
And that's ok, she don't want the world
This love she feels
Everything she's ever known
Or ever thought was real
Seems like it's been thrown away
Now how's she gonna live
It's ok, she don't want the world
Those words he never spoke
Haunt her life, the memories
Of all the times before
She tried to show him love
While he would only ask for more
But it's ok, she don't want the world
Softly in her sleep
Pictures of the life she's longingFor slowly appear
She's seen them all before
But somehow never quite this clear
She just smiles, she don't want the world
This love she feels Everything she's ever known
Or ever thought was real
Seems like it's been thrown away
Now how's she gonna live
It's ok, she don't want the world
A brand new morning shines
As she wakes up alone again
This time to face the day
She swears there's time to make it
As she simply walks away
And it's ok, she don't want the world
3 Doors Down
I don't want the world....but I was so sick of begging for somebody.....the person with whom I should have felt the safest....to toss me some scraps whenever he wanted. I know that I have issues that I need to deal with. I know things don't happen on accident. I needed to learn things from that experience, that marriage, that I hope I've learned well enough to not repeat them. Right now, unfortunately, I am capable of be satisfied with scraps. This is why I need to take time to figure myself out and get myself ready for greater things, greater people. I'm so scared that I will never trust a man to care for me. Most of the men in my life have ended up turning their backs on me. I got to the point that I would actually be drawn to these types and of course ended up marrying one. I would give everything and anything to have love. And that is a dangerous place to be. I am wise enough to know that I have to be careful for me in order to be careful for my boys. They are my work and my glory right now. I wouldn't want them to be hurt worse than they already are.
Another person quoted the title of a song that also gives me hope: Its track #108
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
[Chorus:]Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
[Chorus]Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.
Bless the Broken Road- Rascal Flatts
And one more reference that helps me:
D&C 122:7 ...know thou, my [daughter], that all these things shall give thee experience , and shall be for thy good.
I've traveled that broken road, but it's okay, because it will lead me to somebody wonderful, and because of the things I've experienced and how I've grown from them, I will be a grand prize for that person.
thanks for stopping by. Not exactly light reading I know.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Compromise Shmompromise! I'm done with that!
Some might read the following paragraphs and think I have extremely high expectations of love and that maybe I should come back down to earth. You know what I say to those people? I have been on the other side...to hell...and I'm done compromising and I'm done being attracted to someone's potential. I know what I want. I also realize that I may not find it, especially if I'm not actively seeking, which I am not right now. Honestly, I don't think I am unrealistic in my hope for a wonderful person. He doesn't need to be perfect. Just "right" for me!
I want to feel special. I want to feel valued. I want somebody who can recognize my strengths and abilities. I want someone to tell me that I am wonderful and that they are so lucky to have me in their life. I want someone that I want to be better for because I think that they also are totally amazing and wonderful. Not that it is so important, but I want somebody to tell me that I'm beautiful. I want somebody that when they are away from me, I miss them...even though I just talked to them. To be honest, I don't even know what this feels like. A real healthy love where they want the best for me and I want the best for them and we would do anything to help eachother to rise to our full potential. I want somebody that loves the Savior...even more than they love me. I mean that. So that when I am down, they don't slow down for me spiritually, but they grab my hand and pull me toward He who is mighty to save. I want to be that same way for them. I want somebody that is not afraid to let me know their vulnerabilities because they know that I would never hurt them. I don't want to compromise. I want to be strong. Is there a person out there like this? I know that I need to be as wonderful as the person that I want to find so that when we meet, we will recognize the qualities that we want in eachother. This is what I want.
I am willing to show someone how special they are to me. I am willing to value and adore them too. I want to find somebody whose strengths and abilities I recognize as amazing. I am willing to tell them everyday how wonderful they are to me and how lucky I am to have them in my life. I want someone who I want to be better for because being around them inspires me. I want someone that I can tell how beautiful they are inside and out. Their mind, their personality, and their whole soul! If they are feeling down or weak, I am willing to grab their hand and encourage them onward. I want someone who isn't afraid to give me their heart because they know that I will take good care of it and treat it as precious as it is. I want somebody who I would do anything for and that I don't have to worry because I know that they feel the same way about me. I don't know how this feels yet, but I hope to know someday.
Does that sound like too much to ask for? I think it sounds like a pretty healthy, functional, loving relationship. I know that everyday isn't so wonderful and every relationship, even the best ones, have difficult times. I get that. I will be committed during those times too.
Feel free to tell me if this sounds like a fairytale or if I am within my rights to hope for such love.
I want to feel special. I want to feel valued. I want somebody who can recognize my strengths and abilities. I want someone to tell me that I am wonderful and that they are so lucky to have me in their life. I want someone that I want to be better for because I think that they also are totally amazing and wonderful. Not that it is so important, but I want somebody to tell me that I'm beautiful. I want somebody that when they are away from me, I miss them...even though I just talked to them. To be honest, I don't even know what this feels like. A real healthy love where they want the best for me and I want the best for them and we would do anything to help eachother to rise to our full potential. I want somebody that loves the Savior...even more than they love me. I mean that. So that when I am down, they don't slow down for me spiritually, but they grab my hand and pull me toward He who is mighty to save. I want to be that same way for them. I want somebody that is not afraid to let me know their vulnerabilities because they know that I would never hurt them. I don't want to compromise. I want to be strong. Is there a person out there like this? I know that I need to be as wonderful as the person that I want to find so that when we meet, we will recognize the qualities that we want in eachother. This is what I want.
I am willing to show someone how special they are to me. I am willing to value and adore them too. I want to find somebody whose strengths and abilities I recognize as amazing. I am willing to tell them everyday how wonderful they are to me and how lucky I am to have them in my life. I want someone who I want to be better for because being around them inspires me. I want someone that I can tell how beautiful they are inside and out. Their mind, their personality, and their whole soul! If they are feeling down or weak, I am willing to grab their hand and encourage them onward. I want someone who isn't afraid to give me their heart because they know that I will take good care of it and treat it as precious as it is. I want somebody who I would do anything for and that I don't have to worry because I know that they feel the same way about me. I don't know how this feels yet, but I hope to know someday.
Does that sound like too much to ask for? I think it sounds like a pretty healthy, functional, loving relationship. I know that everyday isn't so wonderful and every relationship, even the best ones, have difficult times. I get that. I will be committed during those times too.
Feel free to tell me if this sounds like a fairytale or if I am within my rights to hope for such love.
Thoughts that have traveled through my head
Last October, I celebrated my 40th birthday. Wow, that felt like that beginning of a 12 step program or something. My name is Marissa and I am a 40 year old. It's not so bad. It's not as devastating as it looks from the distant approach. I am grateful to be where I am. There are some things that I would change, but not if I had to relinquish the knowledge and growth that I have obtained by having passed through those things. I give thanks to God for His greatness and His perfect wisdom in allowing us, His children, to not only grow and prove ourselves to Him but allowing us to figure out for ourselves what He already knew about us. That we are capable of being strong and courageous even against the most unlikely odds if we allow Him to be involved. I love to keep journals and I have been (not always faithfully) writing in my 6 volumes of journals since I was about 17. I go back and read some of my entries and I just want to thump myself. Sometimes, I even find myself coaxing that girl, "No, what were you thinking?" as if my chastisement is going to somehow alter what her next direction would be. But later I can read the testimonial of that same girl after she learned the needed lesson and had gained some wisdom. Unfortunately, there were some lessons that weren't learned until I had some significant battle scars. Scars from wounds that could have been avoided had I been.....had I been....well, I guess I would have to change history to finish that sentence. I am so grateful, so so grateful for the knowledge...the absolute engraven into my soul knowledge that I have of who I am and what that means. Here are some things that I know: I know God is real. He exists. I know it because I have felt His influence and seen His power in my life and in the life of others. I know that Jesus is the Christ. He is our Savior. I know this because He saves me on a very regular basis. I know that when I follow His teachings and example, I am a happier person because I have more peace within myself. I know that God cares about us and that sometimes He allows suffering but He also helps us to get thru that suffering. A wise man once said that Man's extremity is God's opportunity. He wants us to trust in Him and to know that we can go to Him and rely on Him. Some suffering, unfortunately comes from making bad choices that end with painful consequences. I know..believe me. Everything that I am expressing is a result of having gone through something that helped me to learn.
Something else that I know: I know that we cannot make it here on this planet earth without eachother. We can't. If we don't look out for eachother and stop the hate, or even worse, the indifference, then we spiral downward and eventually we implode. I need to be somebody's angel sometimes and I need angels at other times. We can be answers to eachothers prayers. Selfishness and greed and self gratification are toxic but we are being spoon fed the insane idea that the only person that we can ultimately count on is ourselves, so we better look out for our best interest because that's what the other guy is doing. And if we help someone else along, then they end up with more and they get it before we do. The drift of the "society current" is going south, and it takes some intentional rowing to keep heading upstream. I believe that we have to row together in our families, and in our communities. We have to have that unity or it won't work.
Over the past 40 years, as I look back, that which I am most thankful for are the people in my life. Every person that encouraged me, loved me, believed in me, asked me to dance, supported me, acted silly with me, listened to me, laughed with me, sang with me, cried with me, and prayed for me, made a difference in my life. You made me who I am, and that is a pretty big deal!
Something else that I know: I know that we cannot make it here on this planet earth without eachother. We can't. If we don't look out for eachother and stop the hate, or even worse, the indifference, then we spiral downward and eventually we implode. I need to be somebody's angel sometimes and I need angels at other times. We can be answers to eachothers prayers. Selfishness and greed and self gratification are toxic but we are being spoon fed the insane idea that the only person that we can ultimately count on is ourselves, so we better look out for our best interest because that's what the other guy is doing. And if we help someone else along, then they end up with more and they get it before we do. The drift of the "society current" is going south, and it takes some intentional rowing to keep heading upstream. I believe that we have to row together in our families, and in our communities. We have to have that unity or it won't work.
Over the past 40 years, as I look back, that which I am most thankful for are the people in my life. Every person that encouraged me, loved me, believed in me, asked me to dance, supported me, acted silly with me, listened to me, laughed with me, sang with me, cried with me, and prayed for me, made a difference in my life. You made me who I am, and that is a pretty big deal!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
It is finished! Now it starts!
As of yesterday March 6, 2009, my divorce is final! I have had many people ask me how I am doing and how it feels. Divorce is a many splendored thing, you know. I feel absolutely ecstatic not to be where I was. I am also ambivalent about it all. I know the future is mine to create and do with it what I will and that is exciting, but I also know that there are 3 other lives that are also affected and the effects of them being affected are...(sorry my weird lady personality wanted a turn). I am the mom and supposedly moms have the greatest influence on a young child's life-until that influential job is taken over by their friends and others that they like better. I just have to believe that they are going to be okay. They are smart and they see more than I realize. They get it and if they don't, they will.
As far as I'm concerned though, I have to get used to letting other people be there for me. I have to change my mindset about being the receiver. I have gone over 2 months with a broken kitchen faucet because I didn't want to bother anyone. Today, my friend's husband came over and fixed it after I went and got the parts. It took about an hour or less. What took me so long? I guess I could go into the analyzation of why but I don't feel like it. It's just a shift. A paradigm shift. I didn't even tell them about my broken toilet. Am I waiting for the plumbing fairy to get here? No. Am I hoping for a miracle? Maybe. Was my friend and her husband the miracle I was hoping for? Probably.
There are going to be lots of broken faucets and toilets and there will surely be a shortage of funds on many occasions. I am not alone. Not to sound completely cliché or trite but, I will survive! I am doing better than I thought. If I would have had more courage to face the unknown adventures of single motherhood, I probably would have left him long ago. Maybe not. I knew I should have left him before we ever had kids. I am rambling.
Getting back to where I started; I have a new anniversary to celebrate. March 6th. 3/6/09. It's a good number. Easy to remember. I know that I am a better person alone than I was with...not-so-good company. I am strong and the voices in my head tell me that I am a bit of a big deal. I believe them.
Life is good. 40 is still young (to anyone 41 or older) and I feel great! Happy Freedom Day to me!
As far as I'm concerned though, I have to get used to letting other people be there for me. I have to change my mindset about being the receiver. I have gone over 2 months with a broken kitchen faucet because I didn't want to bother anyone. Today, my friend's husband came over and fixed it after I went and got the parts. It took about an hour or less. What took me so long? I guess I could go into the analyzation of why but I don't feel like it. It's just a shift. A paradigm shift. I didn't even tell them about my broken toilet. Am I waiting for the plumbing fairy to get here? No. Am I hoping for a miracle? Maybe. Was my friend and her husband the miracle I was hoping for? Probably.
There are going to be lots of broken faucets and toilets and there will surely be a shortage of funds on many occasions. I am not alone. Not to sound completely cliché or trite but, I will survive! I am doing better than I thought. If I would have had more courage to face the unknown adventures of single motherhood, I probably would have left him long ago. Maybe not. I knew I should have left him before we ever had kids. I am rambling.
Getting back to where I started; I have a new anniversary to celebrate. March 6th. 3/6/09. It's a good number. Easy to remember. I know that I am a better person alone than I was with...not-so-good company. I am strong and the voices in my head tell me that I am a bit of a big deal. I believe them.
Life is good. 40 is still young (to anyone 41 or older) and I feel great! Happy Freedom Day to me!
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