What are you made of?

Some of us are weak spirited human beings who constantly feel abused and part of the victim society while others push through their hurt and pain and see only possibilities waiting for them.  How do you define who you are? 

I just heard a story of a young girl and it was captioned:  “Homeless to Harvard.”  It caused me to think—what is it that allows this person to push through her story and move onward and upward because that is where her focus is placed while others never even try.  Too often people only see the hurt and pain—the poor me syndrome.  This young lady, however, whose parents deserted her and left her to fend for herself did not fall backwards into helplessness but rather continually found solutions to her dilemma. In the midst of all of this melodrama, she kept going. 

Each one of us has a story to tell; granted some of our stories are mild and mellow compared to others who have actually lived with drama and deprivation.  Yet in the midst of all of this, some people seem to have the stuff that most of us lack.  How can that be, I ask?  I am sure that this topic will be discussed among many intellectual groups around the world for some time to come.

But for this short moment in time, I ask you—one of the most fortunate in the world, (I know I am making an assumption---only because I assume, if you can read this blog, you have the resources to sustain yourself).  That assumption can be wrong---but please humor me because in this short essay, I am asking the question out loud and I do not know if you or I have the answer.  How do some of us have the inner power and strength to keep going while others only have the power and strength to wallow in the gutters of life, their self imposed horror story where they fall victim to their own story.

I, too, in live had a story.  It is still a part of my story but, many, many years ago, I pushed through that story and refused to look back.  Back in the 1970’s, I divorced and my family disserted me because they were embarrassed that I would even think of divorce.  I had four very young children at the time and was the sole support of them.  But in those days, the world did not look at a single woman as someone to admire or assist but rather as someone who was out in the world and desperate.  They made the wrong assumption about me and probably about others in the same dilemma yet nonetheless, it created isolation for me.

I certainly was not desperate and I definitely didn’t need someone to take care of me.  I did need, however, encouragement and a support team to reassure me that I could continue on my journey and be the best MOM I could be as I continued to find my way. 

Life continually throws us a curb ball but it is how we handle it that makes all the difference in our lives and the lives of those we influence.  I quickly learned what I was made of—strength—fortitude—determination and an unfailing belief that with God’s help, I could do anything because I was not alone. 

Maybe it is time for you to examine what you are made of and begin to rediscover your strengths and your unfailing belief in yourself.

  


 Joan Marie Ambrose

Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker