Bumps in the Road

This week I've had a chance to get together with some old friends a couple of times. It has been so great! I have also been updated on some issues going on amongst some of my extended family. It's been kind of sobering to hear the hard times my friends have gone through the past couple of years, and the hard times some of my family is going through.

I've done a lot of thinking about it all. It is always nice if you have someone to weather the storms of life with you. I feel a little guilty that I wasn't aware of the challenges my friends were going through. I sure would have been happy to provide a little support. I also look at some of the challenges people in my family are going through. There's really nothing I can do except show love and be supportive.

One thing I've learned through my own challenges is that nobody else can fix me. I also watch other people and often try to remain not too emotionally involved, because I can't really fix their challenges either.

The other thing I've learned is that life is just full of challenges! And despite those challenges, it's possible to be happy. Some people run into issues and it becomes all consuming when it really doesn't have to. There are some challenges that truly are all consuming - and some of my friends have really gone through those. However, I look at other people who think they have big problems and I think they really don't know what a big problem is - yet they sure like to act like their problems are debilitating. I sure admire people who faces challenges and don't tap out.

My life isn't perfect or simple either. There are plenty of things I wish were different. However, there are plenty of things that bring a boatload of joy to my life. I will choose to focus on those things. I have also realised that finding joy in the simple things in life might just be the key to happiness. I've never really been one to compete or worry about whether my house or clothes or kids or whatever is fancier, or even just as nice as someone else's. It doesn't really matter. What I have suits me just fine and that's good enough. I don't really want for anything. Life is really very good.