Acceptance Category
Flipping My “Whens and Thens”
Posted on January 1, 2014 1 Comment
I’ve spent most of my life wishing it away. Perhaps some of you can relate. Somewhere along life’s journey, I got caught in a pattern of “when… then…” It sounds something like this: “WHEN my children are older and not so needy, THEN I’ll have time to take care of myself and pursue my own […]
When the “Car” Blows Up
Posted on October 2, 2012 Leave a Comment
A few years ago, when I was bitter and angry that my life had seemingly blown up before my eyes, I remember a wise counselor telling me this story: “I had a car that was always in need of repair…I was always fixing something, patching something, wiring something on – it was always in the […]
Beat Head Against Wall. Repeat.
Posted on August 4, 2012 4 Comments
We’ve all heard the saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Why are we so prone to beat our head against the same wall repeatedly before we finally decide to try something different? Very often, the answer to that question lies in our propensity […]
Resentments often get “Returned to Sender”
Posted on July 20, 2012 2 Comments
I once tried to send an email to my friend, only to have it repeatedly bounce back to me as “undeliverable.” In frustration, each time it happened I would precisely retype the email address and click “send” again, only to have the same maddening results. As the tedious process continued throughout the next couple of […]
Who’s in control here, anyway?
Posted on July 1, 2012 5 Comments
Some of you have probably heard this story (or a version of it) — I first heard it at a twelve-step recovery meeting, but its lesson is so important, it bears repeating: Jimmy was a young caterpillar who lived in a beautiful, lush garden. One day, a caterpillar friend visited from another garden. “Jimmy!” the […]
When You Weren’t “Parent of the Year”
Posted on June 25, 2012 6 Comments
An old man walked through the park near his house each evening. While the park was beautiful, his truly favorite part of walking there was the chance to meet other people along the way. One particular evening, as the sun began to set, he saw a sad young woman in her early 30’s sitting on a park […]
Put on the Right Pair of Glasses (Attitude Matters)
Posted on June 23, 2012 5 Comments
Before I had Lasik surgery on my eyes five or six years ago, I was blind as a bat. I couldn’t even recognize the facial features of a person standing 10 feet from me. So… for 30-plus years, I had to wake up every morning and put on a pair of glasses in order to function […]
Don’t Settle for the Puddle!
Posted on June 20, 2012 8 Comments
When I am in the middle of difficult circumstances, I want to take the easy path. I want the quick fix, the easy answer, the one-minute cure. I don’t want to work hard — not when I’m hurting so much. And yet, aren’t the greatest rewards in life often behind the highest mountain? When my husband was in […]
Sharlene Prinsen 