Learning From Life

From May 25, 2000

Here we are, the summer is upon us and the year is nearly half-way over! Can you believe it? Time has been traveling so fast!

I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for your friendship and support during a very difficult time for our family these past few months. In a short period of time, it seems as if we have lost everything that has taken us years to gain. At first, I didn’t want anyone to know-- no one to feel sorry for me. You’re not supposed to know that I have problems, too. After all, image is part of the total package. Now, of course, I am grateful. The love and support I have received will never be forgotten.

When I go over material sent to me for the family newsletter that I do, I often think “Oh, this will be great for everybody...” “This is just what they need...” or “So-and-so is going through a difficult time. This will help them...” Often I have failed to realized how it can affect my own life.

As I was reading Dad’s “Words” in the last issue (about dealing with adversity) once again I thought “This will be great for those going through a difficult period in their lives.” It never even occurred to me that it had a direct application to my own life, until several days after I mailed it out! And then I thought “DUH!!” and couldn’t believe I had missed it.


How often does that happen to us? How often do we say to ourselves “This is good for someone” but fail to see how it is good for ourselves? In failing to recognize this simple error, we short-change ourselves the lessons that this life has to offer. We cannot learn from these important lessons if we don’t ask ourselves “How can this also apply to me?”

The next time we see, hear, or read something that we think might benefit someone else, let’s not forget how it might benefit ourselves, as well. After all, we reap what we sow. We cannot harvest anything if the seeds that were planted were never tended!


In the meantime, I have learned to remember the bright spots. There is always hope somewhere on the path; a ray of light to be found and followed. The innocence of little children never ceases to amaze me. Every morning when my youngest child awakens, she greet me with a wide, toothless smile, her eyes crinkling with delight. She is totally oblivious to all the chaos around her. Her only goal in life is to be happy. Choose to be happy. Learn from your life, and live!