Do you like the things life has shown you?

P

Phoenix

Senior Member
Location
Oregon, U S
Remember Diana Ross' song, "Do you know where you're going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Do you know..." It was the theme to Mahogany? I loved that song. It comes back to me sometimes. Now, I know where I've gone to and some of it I like and some not, but in the long run, all I've learned, good and bad, is invaluable. I am who I am because of it, and I like me even with all my foibles.

The world sucks in all kinds of ways, and a lot of the things I thought possible in my youth, turned out not to be, but still I wouldn't have wanted to miss it.

How do you feel?
 

I was yelled and screamed at so much in my childhood, I never though I was anything that was any good. And even now, I still don't.
 
Kitties said:
I was yelled and screamed at so much in my childhood, I never though I was anything that was any good. And even now, I still don't.
Click to expand...

There are philosophies that can help. Religion taught me as a woman I wasn't worth much. Over time I gleaned from a variety of sources, and although I can't say I'm satisfied with myself all the time, I have learned to stop beating myself up most of the time. One can teach oneself not to be so judgmental. It's well worth the time.

Each person is a valuable part of the whole. This includes you.
 

As a child, I tried to please my parents. It didn't work. It was always about what people thought of them and how I affected that view. I managed to break away from that, lead my own modestly successful life and establish my own family. I haven't totally managed to shake off the negative things that life has shown me, but good things have more than compensated.
 
By this age there has to be a lot of cumulative experience on this site. I'm not sure we ever completely overcome the negative, but we've learned so much, even if we don't think so. If you would indulge me, I'd like you to each tell me something specific you've learned and why, if you're willing. I don't mean to be nosy, I just want to learn from you. We each have specific things that have happened to us, and have dealt with them in our own unique ways. That makes them valuable.
 
Life has had many ups and downs for us. As we get older we tend to reminisce about the good times and forget those that could have been better. Our travel experiences in particular fall into this category. I met a wide variety of people in my working years and during my military time.
 
Life is all about Learning from our mistakes, and resolving not to do that again. If a person lives an honest, productive, and responsible life, and is not a burden to others, except perhaps in their elder years, that is about as good as it gets.
 
The first twenty years of my life were hell, much of the next twenty spent trying to overcome it. I have learned that, in the end, damaged, or not, my spirit is stronger than anything those monsters ever did to me or those I loved. I am still here, my

humanity intact. I choose to walk the high wire, to live a life of service, to embrace compassion, and reach out my hand to

those in the pit. There is hope for them, because I survived, PTSD notwithstanding. I will live with my heart open, or die in the attempt. The price of humanity is heartbreak, the price of a lack of it, anathema. Love is a verb.
 
So we have learned valuable lessons. If there is an afterlife, then us learning all that is the point. If there is no afterlife, then what we do/did here turned us into sentient beings, and the universe goes on. The laws of physics say that nothing is ever lost, it is all just transformed. I like that. I still talk to those who have preceded me in death, learning from them even now. Who knows what is to come, but I too try to embrace and share compassion. Had I not been through my form of hell, I would not be as caring as I am. Yes I agree. Love is a verb.
 
in the long run, all I've learned, good and bad, is invaluable. I am who I am because of it, and I like me even with all my foibles.
Click to expand...
I have to agree with this 100%.
Towards the end of my life I am happy in my own skin.
I know who I am and what I have to offer the world, at least my little part of it.
My personal failures have taught me a lot, not the least of which is to be less judgmental of others.
Life has softened and mellowed me and that is a good thing.
 
fureverywhere said:
If I could put what I know now in my fourteen year old self...But all you can do is move forward and let go of the past.
Click to expand...

If you put who you know now into your fourteen-year-old self, you wouldn't be who you are today. Who we are is because of what we have experienced, even the stupid stuff we did. I wish I hadn't married my first husband. But if I hadn't I would not have realized I had to grow a set, jump ship, go to college and realized that I'm not just some guy's possession. I am my own person. Huge lesson for me.
 
If you put who you know now into your fourteen-year-old self, you wouldn't be who you are today. Who we are is because of what we have experienced, even the stupid stuff we did. I wish I hadn't married my first husband. But if I hadn't I would not have realized I had to grow a set, jump ship, go to college and realized that I'm not just some guy's possession. I am my own person. Huge lesson for me.

Huge lesson yes but to my fourteen year old self...
Books are your best friends and will always be there for you.
Education and career, nothing else matters yet.
Stay a virgin until 25, thirty even...sex is totally over-rated. Find yourself first.
No human children, no,no, a dog is as needy and not so fault finding. A future of pit bull pre-schooler's
 
I like some of what life has shown me so far. Some of it I've hated and still do. But not so much that I don't have hope for what life has yet to show me.
 
No. Life has shown me more of the ugly side of human nature. For every nice person I've met in my life I've met 20 piranas who'd rip me to shreds just for the joy of it. I think this is why I meditate and teach others to do the same. :eek:
 
That is a good song Phoenix, I believe it was originally performed by Thelma Houston. I had a good childhood, very loving parents and although we didn't have a lot of money, we never did without and were happy and content. I pretty much just lived my life, never really chasing any dreams or trying to live in the past. Life has shown me that although many people are kind, there are some that aren't.

I've learned in life to appreciate the awesome beauty of Mother Nature from the heavens to the soil and be thankful for all I do have. I'm not intrigued by the possibility of life after death, rather just cherish the precious time I have here on earth.

 
I wasn't a very happy person until my 40's. I've got regrets and guilt but I really try to live in the moment now and stop beating myself over the head for past mistakes.
 
chic said:
No. Life has shown me more of the ugly side of human nature. For every nice person I've met in my life I've met 20 piranas who'd rip me to shreds just for the joy of it. I think this is why I meditate and teach others to do the same. :eek:
Click to expand...

Me too regarding the piranhas. I've tried a lot of belief systems. I also do some meditating. I need to do more. One of the statements I like I heard on a Rodney Yee meditation tape, "There is no fear of the cycle of birth, life and death, for when we stand in the present moment, we are timeless." Yes, viewing nature can be so comforting. Ameriscot I remember in my forties the statement about life beginning at 40. At that point another tragedy hit, but by the end of that decade I was better. Some days I do have complaints, but as a country song says, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

I want to again thank everyone for being so nice here and your willingness to share who you are. It helps.
 

Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top