the road less traveled

I was a big fan of that book, and of others by Scott Peck and Melody Beattie. To me, they were pioneers of actual success stories in the struggle to overcome addictions and pain. A kinder, gentler version of Bill W. I once went to hear John Bradshaw speak during the time that I was in therapy and I was totally amazed at what one can learn about personal motivation and success just by honoring your own spirit and helping it to grow. It seems like I've spent most of my life being something that everybody else wants me to be ( or that I think that i SHOULD be ) and you tend to lose focus on that inner peace thingy when that happens.

Wife.Mother.Friend.Employee.Maker of brownies, whatever it is we jump and run to please the people that we care about, often ignoring our own mental health in the process. Men don't do this, by the way. In their other brained sort of thinking, they do the caveman thing to work and provide and the rest is just the details of how soon to get out there and play. I must say that the ones who make time to be a real part of the family and help with kids and the household should be applauded. It's tough, especially when life is as stressful as it can be these days with the "almost" depression that we're experiencing. The one income family is becoming a part of the distant past and that is scary. Of course if all the ones who have shared with the have nots, it wouldn't be that way would it?

Due to vacations and such, I'm working a bit more than usual so it's a good thing I'm almost over the pneumonia. The heat is oppressive, about like our usual late July stuff. Looks like I'll just have to get myself over to the pool tomorrow after me and BG do some housecleaning. I've missed having her partnership on that! We're about to crawl out of another valley together which is nothing new around the lane. Have drama, will travel. That's us. I'm looking for somebody to sponsor a team in the humane society four man scramble coming up so all donations will be gladly accepted. Hey...they helped me adopt Oscar and Sam.

And the truth shall set you free. I'm not sure who said it, but by golly it's wise beyond belief. I sat with my mother and aunt today admiring a copied black and white photo of my mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother. Four generations in one snapshot, and my own mother was a babe in arms. It was very obvious in that photo where all the boobage in this family came from ;) We are doing what all families should do as they approach the time when the elders are moving on and giving the current generation their heritage. I treasure every minute of that, and my daughter does as well. We.Are.Family.

^j^