I heard or read some where recently that the people who do well under the crunch of life altering crisis generally fall into one of these 3 groups...

1.) people who are committed to a 12 step program of some type

2.)People who work the land (farmers etc) and who understand the cycles and seasons of life.

3.) people who have a solid spiritual base and believe there is more than this life in the "Big Picture".

We all know life can be very challenging, and those challenges are often relative. For example, I have a friend who makes my life look like a stroll in the park. She has been poor as a church mouse most of her life, stricken with polio as a child, married a man who suffers from chronic depression, and later cancer. Two of her 4 children have been diagnosed with serious health issues: her daughter with juvenile arthritis, her son with the same chronic depression his father has. Andrea has been the main support of her family most of her married life. She struggled and got her masters in Early Childhood Education. You get the picture. It is humbling to be in her presence. She got up in church one day to tell us all about how blessed she was and thankful for the love she feels from God. She was walking past the bakery earlier that week, and could smell fresh donuts. She wanted one sooooo bad but had no money. She was wearing an old sweater she hadn't worn in some time, and feeling s bit cold she put her hands in her pockets and pulled the sweater tighter around her. She found a lump of paper in one pocket. She pulled it out and it was a rolled up $1. bill. So she bought herself a donut. She made a point of thanking God. Both directly and then shared the story with us. She is miles ahead of me in the spirituality department. But she is a tremendous inspiration to everyone who meets her. Most of us wouldn't think twice about the price of a single glazed donut. Just stop and be GRATEFUL for one minute each day and your life will be better. I know it.

Thanks for starting this thread Paula...you are a sweetheart. So sorry I couldn't make it down to see you.

Love to all of you who support me in my moments of insanity....and always have a kind word. You are appreciated!