How can we know where the road of life will lead?
How can we be sure what's down the unpredictable path of existence,
beyond the veils of light and darkness?
How can we see around the corner of uncertainty?

We can't.

Do we continue to venture into the unknown when the known has hurt us terribly?
Do we keep going forward when our past is paved with pain?

We must.

We can't stop in our tracks and hurt forever:
We must allow the detours, wrong turns and back roads of our past
to serve as guideposts into the future...

and we do have a future.

We can't stop being mobile.
We can't stand still.

To stop is to give up on the promise of life;
the love, the laughter that might also be down the road.

Can we throw up our hands, rather than reach out for help?

We can't.

We can't because others have shown us that we can feel differently
than we do today.

We can heal. The tears can dry and comfort of caring can once
again replace the emptiness inside.
The smiles can become real, the love sincere.

We can once again travel with confidence and reassurance,
if we discard the baggage of bitterness, self-pity, and self-destruction,

if we travel on with only love for ourselves and others,
and not dwell on the pain in our past
or worry about what adversity might lay ahead.

The road of life may be very rough at times
but if we don't travel it at all,
we chance missing some breathtaking scenery,
some moving moments...
people and places, sentiments and times to be remembered.

Sometimes beyond the roughest road,
or the most perplexing crossroad,
lays the smooth surface of understanding.

We must not stop or turn baack when there is a breakdown,
a misfortune, or no clear route.
Sometimes we must travel blindly
until our direction becomes clear to us and others.

There are many weary travelers on the road of life.
Many temporarily lost in the grief of passing,

The road to recovery is never easy.
But it can lead to insight, understanding and love.

From A Healing Heart by Susan White-Bowden

**********************

I know I have posted this writing before but it is worth reading it again.
So many here are feeling hopeless and helpless...please know that you are not alone with those feelings and remember ....Hope springs eternal.

i love this, thanks for sharing.

bump for wish...who I pray is sleeping.

Thanks Alffe,
reading this a second time.. gives it a whole new meaning. I highlighted the toughest parts for me now... *sigh
Fortunately, now I am at a point in my life, where I don't stop and never do give up... I was taught that at such a young age here by my friends at the time, but sometimes my "past" and "grief" still wears me down and makes me wonder, why I keep going forward when I never stop and take in the scenery. And how I can teach myself to do that?

I so remember that young girl who was trying, really was expected to, take over the roll your dear mother left behind. It wasn't fair, you were just a kid and deserved to go on being just a kid but instead you cooked, and cleaned, and I think "role" played your way into adulthood at a very young age.

While that is very admirable, in a way..you are stuck back there. Just my opinion dear friend.

I found a darling old Christmas card from you today...it has a pop up tree and it's no wonder I saved it all these years.

I hope you sleep tonight.

Wish

Alffe

And thank God you have this place to come to.
I know I do.

hugs to you both Alffe & Addy

time to attempt and sleep. no time for reading tonight, it was all work and no play today. and tomorrow is just another day.

ps alffe, i do agree. . . sometimes more often than not, i wish someone was there to take care of me like parents are supposed to do and kids (and young adults) are supposed to have. so in some ways, i am definitely forever young -- but in other ways, i am already way too old. hmmm... i'm going to have to sleep on that one.

(((Wish))) I wish there were somebody to take care of me too. And I also wish that you would share some of your energy and send it my way. My problem is not being able to get up and go do.

Someone told me yesterday I need to stop the 'naughty Nancy' in my head, who has taken over - with negativity, fear, anxiety, loneliness. Trying to figure that one out. I told Naughty Nancy this morning to go sit in the chair in the corner and think about what she's been doing and to get with the program! We'll see.

I saw you have been between 2 tough anniversaries. ((hugs)) I have one of those now as well. My sister would have been 58 on the 11th. She died on December 15. Blah.

I'm going to continue reading your posts and try to sap some of your energy. And in return, I'll send you some of the sleep I get (but entirely thanks to Trazadone).

Oh, and Ms. Alffe, thank you for the read, it's very nice.

Hi Doody! I hope today is a better day for you and for me too. I didn't get much sleep last night since I had to wake at 4am but coffee is my saviour. About the energy, I think its just a way people cope -- either you sleep too much or sleep too little. You keep really busy or don't do anything at all. Neither is better than the other. And what am I really doing anyways besides fretting and worrying about what I haven't done yet, which isn't very productive anyways.

I'll never forget the things I was told when I was only 15 right after my mom passed and I was going through such tough times and SOS saved me practically... and I was told to "Never Surrender" and since then, I always repeat that to myself... as well as "This too shall pass" *sigh unfortunately, when things pass - new stuff always comes lurking around the corner. oh well. it is what it is.

Doody, holidays must be rough for you too then. Good thing you have us to share with cause misery loves company (in a good way)!