Blogs

I don't know how someone suffering an emotional disorder manages to continue to function but I've seen it, so I know it's true. It's a truly heroic feat to witness and my heart goes out to them.

• Reverent's blog

Wow, what a hard time I've gone through the last few months! Just when I think I've got life figured out, I go sliding down the shoot again. But things are getting better, thank heaven. I think I'm about ready to be productive again.

• Reverent's blog

I don't think we have a clue about the affects we suffer from trauma. I don't think we even have an idea of all that causes us trauma. But we're learning. I'm learning. Actually I'm learning to focus not on the traumas I've suffered but on how to do life better. I'm learning that the better I take care of my own wellbeing the more I can offer to others, and the more love and joy I experience. Life is complex, isn't it?

• HopeFilled's blog

The older I get the deeper I go into each moment. Old age is definitely not for sissies. I'm sorry about my loss of energy, mobility, and the expectation of living many more years. But after a life-long struggle with my "imperfections" I'm actually getting better at living. Better at not procrastinating, not trying to control things, not expecting catastrophic consequences when I fail at something. And better at noticing my blessings and the beauty around me -- the beauty I create and the beauty life displays.

• Reverent's blog
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The scars of having a mother who hated her children have been very slow in healing. Some of them were so deep I didn't understand them. I didn't know that my way of coping was to hide, to work very hard to keep things calm all the time, to keep a low profile as much as possible to avoid her wrath. She was insane, vicious, and overpowering, but never in public. No one knew the truth so we kids didn't have anyone on our side. It was a very tough life, I can tell you. But there's something inside me that won't let me give up, won't let me give in.

• HopeFilled's blog
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I have no idea how to do the family finances. My soon-to-be-ex used to take care of all that. And I think that he didn't make as much money as he pretended to, so now it looks like we don't have much. It is hard because it seems like all my kids' friends have lots of money.

• Sally's blog

I'm really frustrated because it seems that no matter what I do, there is no way that I can be happy given the people that I have to deal with. I still need to see my soon-to-be ex and every time I see him I get really upset and it affects me for the whole rest of the day. And then the kids act like it is my fault that we don't have as much money now. If I didn't have to deal with these people around me, I think I would be able to be happy.

• Sally's blog

Somehow I've been able to pick up the pieces of my relationships with my family members and little by little we are getting closer. I think they know I am there for them, that they can ask me for anything and I will give it if I can. When we're together we know how to have fun, and how to laugh, and how to talk about things that matter, and how to love each other. Yes, we do know how to love each other! Life doesn't get any better than that!

• Grandma's blog

I find it a blessing to get old, to grow in wisdom, to notice the beauty I see with wonder. When I was young I was dancing as fast as I could so my world was much narrower. Now I have aches and pains, my eyesight is diminished, my energy and mobility are much less than they used to be. But I'm enjoying life more. I don't care what others think anymore, I march to my own drummer and it feels great. And my relationship with the God of my understanding is now firmly established and very, very rewarding. I have so much to be thankful for.

• SallyDee's blog

There sure is enough pain in the world, I know I've had my share. Lately I've begun to think that I could reduce the pain if I could just let go of the idea that bad things are not supposed to happen. It's not possible for life to be easy and smooth, not for anyone, anywhere. Yet I torture myself with thoughts that that's how I want my life to be, easy and lovely. If I let go of my expectations, my deepest wishes, and face what I must the best way I know how without the drama, I may not be able to have the life I want but I can be the me I want to be.

• Beyond Bereaved's blog