November 8, 2013

Realism

It was an emotional week. In the media, in social media, I feel like sad images and touching videos surrounded us. Of course each individual’s background and life experiences mold us and how we will feel about particular topics. As I get older I find myself becoming more of a realist and less of an optimist. The world is a scary and unfair place.

Collier Strong

For 7 months I’ve successfully avoided the majority of graphic footage from the Boston Marathon tragedy. It is honestly too much for me. Then I got caught up in this emotional week, my monthly friend dropped in for a visit and BAM I found myself clicking on this link from Facebook, watching from my kitchen table and crying.


We place so much pressure on ourselves to be the best Mom, wife, friend, employee, volunteer. This pressure is from US. To our children we are perfect. We are rock stars.

and speaking of rock stars ... the Plourd ladies
On Thursday I exchanged texts with my college roommate. We’re planning to get the group together next Saturday and she’s not sure she’ll be able to come. I knew her Mom had cancer but yesterday I learned she was not doing well. I knew Jen had a kind heart but yesterday I learned just how much we’ve grown since college. I saw Jen’s maturity and her fearlessness to face reality. Realism not optimism. In this surreal period of her life, she took the time to apologize to me for not being there more when I was going through this with my Dad senior year of college. “I didn’t understand,” she said.

My optimist ways dwindled senior year when my Dad was diagnosed with cancer and died 6 months later. I questioned life and God. I kept people who wanted to help at arm’s length. I withdrew. “Going through this” sucks, but we never have to do it alone.

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