Hard times

I think it's safe to say that everyone, at some point in time, faces a "hard" day. There are many extremes to determine what you believe a hard day is. For example, it could be something as tiny as not getting the pair of jeans you really wanted at the mall today or as drastic as having lost a limb in a tragic accident or even losing a loved one. Regardless, everyone faces hard times.

I'm not a fan of high egos based on these hard times. I do not believe that a hard time defines you as a person but I do believe how you OVERCOME that hard time DOES!

I heard on a tv show (i can't remember which one) one day that two people were comparing their lives and comparing the crappy things that had happened to them. Finally one of them goes "if this is a competition on who's life is crappier, go ahead, you win!"

I loved that. Why does anyone want to win that battle? Is it for the attention? Is it for respect? Or perhaps they just can't come out from under that overwhelming hardship?

I would like to think that it's not for attention, but unfortunately I think far too often then not most everything is for attention. Attention of strangers? Attention of loved ones? Attention of true friends?

I can't answer those questions. As my close friends know, I'm not one to say "Hi, my name is Sara and i've had X, Y and Z happen to me in my life." I will say "Hi, my name is Sara and i'm married to an amazing man & have 2 beautiful kids."

THAT is how i define myself. By what I have achieved and accomplished in my life. All the hard times got me to where I am today. That doesn't mean I didn't have bad days or days where I was completely overrun by emotions. That also doesn't mean that I shut off my emotions and don't ever talk about those hardships. I talk about them as learning experiences. As things that have made me who I am today. One of my close friends recently asked me how my mother died. I told her and her response was "I'm so sorry you had to go through that." my response? "it's okay. i'm not. it made me who i am" doesthat mean i don't miss my mom and wish she was still alive? Heck no. but that also doesn't mean i run around expecting the world to owe me because of it either or let it run my life.

Am I alone in this feeling? Do you know people like I have mentioned? Why do you think they can't focus on the good? Why do they CHOOSE to define themselves by their hardships?

Idk. I have said it once and I'll say it again, it's not the hardship that defines you but how you overcome the hardship.

Be someone you'd want to know. :-)