What a memory to come face to face with.

I came face to face with a startling realization over the weekend. Essentially - a person I went out of my way to help many years ago is in the exact same prediciment that she was all those years ago. Her situation at that time was a single parent (like I was) trying to balance home, kids, school, and work (like I was). Only, this person didn't have any family members in our state. She was a very proud person - too proud to ask or apply for any assistance; and she wasn't very outgoing.

We became fast friends after I started sharing some of my family's food with her. I also used to give her rides to places she needed to be because she didn't have a car. The more acquainted we became, the more I realized that she had a caustic attitude and disposition toward life. I ultimately had to separate myself from her in order to maintain my own positive outlook on life and my future. To my horror, in so doing I became, in her minds eye, one of the people who was to blame for her hard luck. When I saw the lady, I almost didn't recognize her. She looked much older than she is; and she was still lamenting about how life and people are always doing her wrong. It was even worse because her adult children didn't want to have anything to do with her either.

I walked away from that encounter realizing that what she needed all those years ago and was still in need of is an attitude adjustmet. When we were both younger I tried to help her look at some of her situations in a more positive light. She was not having it though. She was the victum and she wanted someone or thing to come to her rescue and magically make life easy and wonderful for her. While thinking about her past and current plight, I realized that I know the keys to living a wonderfully magical life; and..

The keys are to believe that you can have what you want, focus on what you want, work for what you want, and share your keys with those in your sphere of influence who will benefit from them. I've heard it said and now I say to you: Live your life, don't let your life live you.

In joy,

Andrea