After all, it's what we've done that makes us what we are

That's a line from Jim Croce, but sometimes songs contain a certain philosophy that rings more true than the standard philosophers.  Over the Christmas holidays, small dramas played themselves out and it got me to thinking about how I got to where I am in my life.  If you read this blog, you know I consider myself extremely lucky.  I am a pretty happy person, most of the time.  I "escaped" a bad situation and got into a very good one, probably more by luck than plan; although I did plan, it was wonderful when the stars aligned and things I needed fell into my lap.  I got into a conversation with an old friend who was talking about how my early marriage and hers were "Mistakes"  I don't consider it to have been a mistake.  I say "Getting married was not a mistake, STAYING married would have been."  She didn't seem to get it.  I pressed on, saying that I got my daughter as a result of that marriage and I learned a lot about myself and the strength that I have in getting out of it.  I found I had wonderful, supportive friends and that I COULD do it on my own.  That situation made me who I am today.  Life is a series of twists and turns along the path, some planned and some decisions that are made for you by circumstances over which you have no control.  It's how you handle THOSE that matters.  Sure, there are days I want to hide under my desk and not come out until quitting time, but that's not going to happen. 

We are the people we are today because of the experiences we have had AND how we dealt with them.  Sometimes it's hard to pick yourself up and dust yourself off and start all over again, but if you don't your choices become limited.  There is a saying "Fall down six times. Get up seven"