We've all got something to share

Sometimes you just have to stop in the middle of all the craziness going on around you and breathe. Sometimes you just have to remember that this is just a moment in time and it'll pass, just like everything else in your life has. May be sooner, may be later, but it'll pass. Whatever you're going through will be something you can draw on later, whether it's for your own benefit, or someone else's, it'll serve useful one day.

You may be going through times of joy, or sorrow. Doesn't matter, it all needs to be savored so that you'll be able to draw from it when you need to. If you don't learn from life's lessons, then it's as if you've gone through it for nothing...and honestly, that's pretty selfish. As a parent, you get to share what you've learned. You don't think they're listening when you share what you had to learn the hard way, probably because their attitude tells you that they couldn't care less what you've gone through, but then something happens and when you ask how they knew that, they'll tell you 'because you told me', and suddenly, everything you had to go through was worth it.

Whether it's for your kids, a neighbor, a co-worker, or a stranger on a bus, we all learn from one another. Our situation may seem unique to us, but there is honestly very little that's new in the world, and chances are that we can all relate to the lessons we've each had to learn. We may not learn how to avoid ( and I do believe that we may save ourselves pain by avoiding, but that we also cheat ourselves the growth from the experience), but we can learn how to deal.

I've learned from Kellie that trust and patience has it's own reward. I've learned from my dear friend, Pat, that love is a gift, not something earned. I've learned from Tom so many things lately, but one of my favorites is that Auto Zone will install what you buy from them for free...this came in very handy last week. I've learned from my friend, Terri, that real love is worth the wait. I've learned from my best friend, Katy, that distance has nothing to do with how close you are to someone. My list of those I've learned from is way too long to post about, but it does range from my kids, who teach me daily what is important and what isn't, to the guy that bags my groceries at Krogers, whose deformity would make many bitter, and yet he is one of the kindest and funniest people I've ever met.

I hope, that in some small way, I'm giving back from what life has given me, what life has taught me. The sorrow, the joy...the heartaches, the simple pleasures...I hope I've learned from it all. I also hope that I've been able to share those experiences with others. Knowing that we're not alone is sometimes what keeps us going. I hope you'll share today, let someone know that they're not alone.