Community Chat

[deedledeedeedle]

dee's 2 valuable hard knocks university lessons:

life is not always fair, and may be described as brutal at times, yet I will not be ruined.

as a much wiser person once said, "To thine own self be true".

[Ibby114]

---

@Trinity11 wrote:

---

@Pqfan wrote:

Surviving the death of a loved one has been very difficult to learn for me.

I always ask God how am I supposed to go on?

---

@Pqfan, thinking of you and missing your posts elsewhere. I cannot tell you it gets easier. It just gets to a point where you accept it and the good memories seem to come back helping to deal with the loss. Please take care of yourself in this difficult time.

(((((((((((((((((((Pqfan)))))))))))))))))))

---

38 years ago today my Mom passed away- she was 47. It still feels like yesterday!  My peace is that my Dad is with her now- he passed away in 2014. 

[Ibby114]

---

@Brinklii wrote:

---

@Ibby114 wrote:

I am not a religious person, but The Serenity Prayer has touched every aspect of my life!

---

@Ibby114 ... The Serenity Prayer is a great one. I'm glad that it is helped you. My personal favorite is Desiderata. It is long, but worth posting...even if it helps only one person:

 Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

---

I had this poster when i was younger!!

The Serenity Prayer impacts life's trials and tribulations to the nth degree - 'life isn't fair' has been posted numerous times on this thread. Knowing what you can control- accepting what you can't control - and the strength and courage to change the things you can.   I try to live one day at a time!   We're all a work in progress. 

[SANNA]

Lack of loyalty was especially heartbreaking lesson for me to learn.  Particularly at the work place. You have to be there for yourself only.  I am lucky to have a loyal DH!

[!FitChick!]

That things will not make me happy.  I have cheated myself out of self-sufficiency and have brought on a lot of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts because I didn't/couldn't get my financial act together.  I am trying to dig out of my financial hole now, but I see people half my age experiencing a sense of pride and accomplishment on buying their first home and living within their means and having fun, meaningful experiences.  I pray I live long enough so that that can be me.  

[maestra]

I am going to have The Desiderata read at my funeral.

[silkyk]

You don’t need to leave your room.
Remain sitting at your table and listen.
Don’t even listen, simply wait.
Don’t even wait.
Be quite still and solitary.
The world will freely offer itself to you.
To be unmasked, it has no choice.
It will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

Kafka

[Ms X]

---

@!FitChick! wrote:

That things will not make me happy.  I have cheated myself out of self-sufficiency and have brought on a lot of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts because I didn't/couldn't get my financial act together.  I am trying to dig out of my financial hole now, but I see people half my age experiencing a sense of pride and accomplishment on buying their first home and living within their means and having fun, meaningful experiences.  I pray I live long enough so that that can be me.  

_______

Stick with your plan and things will steadily get better!  Concentrate on what you're doing step by step to fix things.  What was that saying about you eat an elephant one bite at a time?

---

[Yardlie]

---

@maestra wrote:

I am going to have The Desiderata read at my funeral.

---

@maestra ... Thank you for the idea! I'm going to steal it. This is my favorite piece of prose. DH and I are putting together our basic funeral plans and will give them to the funeral home. We recently bought plots and are prepaying our funerals.

[Yardlie]

---

@Ms X wrote:

---

@!FitChick! wrote:

That things will not make me happy.  I have cheated myself out of self-sufficiency and have brought on a lot of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts because I didn't/couldn't get my financial act together.  I am trying to dig out of my financial hole now, but I see people half my age experiencing a sense of pride and accomplishment on buying their first home and living within their means and having fun, meaningful experiences.  I pray I live long enough so that that can be me.  

_______

Stick with your plan and things will steadily get better!  Concentrate on what you're doing step by step to fix things.  What was that saying about you eat an elephant one bite at a time?

---

---

@!FitChick! ,,, You might want to consider a free consultation with a bankruptcy lawyer. If your situation is that dire, then perhaps it is the way to go. I know someone who did this recently after her husband died. She feels such a relief!

The bankruptcy laws will get all your creditors off your back and give you a fresh start. My SIL is a lawyer. He said that you would not believe all the people who use this law. It is designed so that people cannot abuse it...e.g. cannot go out and buy a lot of expensive things, take vacations, etc. and then file bankruptcy. If the weight you are carrying around is really bogging you down emotionally and financially, please consider it. No one would blame you. Best of luck!