Tuesday, July 17, 2007

LIFE'S CHALLENGES

We all know the saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." If you think about it this is really a very good way to view life. I have tried to follow this principle throughout my adult life or actually I have drawn strength from the saying "God doesn't give you more than you can bear." Although not a very religious person I do consider myself spiritual and this has gotten me through many obstacles and rough spots in my life.

When my children were younger, starting with my firstborn at the age of 6 months, they experienced some serious health problems that required a lot of my time and a lot of travelling 6 hrs. to a major center (Hospital for Sick Kids) for treatment and follow up. Needless to say, being a working mother, at times pregnant battling my own health issues with Fibromyalgia and a sleep disorder, it was very exhausting and taxing. I remember a friend of mine going through a health crisis with one of her own and finding herself at her wits end asking me how I found the strength to keep it up and not let it get to me.



My story and advice to her was very simple to my way of thinking. I told her what got me through. "God doesn't give you more than you can bear," I told her. At times I would tell myself if these children had been born to someone else, someone that wasn't strong, maybe a single parent or a mother in an unhappy marriage what would the outcome have been? I rationalized to myself that these children, with their health problems were born to me because I was strong, loved children immensely and was capable of coping. So I had to be strong and I was thankful that I was given the personality or maybe the strength to cope with it all.

These children really needed me and I admit, I love to be needed so it came easy to me to help them through. They grew up into very strong individuals that have great coping skills of their own, never using their health issues or disabilities as a crutch but facing life head on and overcoming their own obstacles as best they can.

Maybe there was a purpose for them to go through the experiences they did and hopefully it will help them in their own lives and they will in turn...Pass it on. Raise children of their own that are strong and independent and able to see through life's obstacles and realize that by believing in themselves and their own abilities..."the only obstacles in life are the ones we put there ourselves."

That last quote is my own :) Do you have any sayings or quotes that help you get through? Would love to hear some of them.
Remember: Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
Albert Einstein

5 comments:

Pearl said...

Wow, Trish. Your optimism is contagious! I spent the day trying to clean up the mess that is my house and spent very little quality time with the kids. Needless to say, that we are all frustrated this evening. I will take your advice tomorrow, loosen up, and enjoy the children.

DubLiMan said...

Trish,

I answered all of you questions on my site,following each of your comments. You may want to come back and take a look.

trish said...

Neena I'm glad that what I wrote had an impact on you. My children are grown now..19, 22, 24 and I don't regret a moment of leaving the dishes behind and enjoying playing with them. I think it's helped keep me young!!
Thank you for your comments.

DubLiMan said...

Name changed on my page to Parenting 101.

trish said...

Thank you Mel. I didn't like the inference that we Parents could be dummies...:)