Strong women

I'm a fan of women. And this being the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I want to celebrate the Strong Woman. I like them. All different shapes and sizes. Some are thin and some are a little more healthy. And most of the women I know or associate with are strong.

Strong women are under appreciated by most of my male counterparts, but then, most men don't try to understand women. Notice I said understand not figured out. And strong women tend to threaten and intimidate most men, by doing nothing more than being strong. Not strong in the physical sense, though some are. Strong in the sense of self confidence and success in their lives.

I see people differently than most, I don't look at the outside so much but more at what goes on between the ears and behind the eyes. The eye's are the window to the soul. Take time to look into them and you can see the story there. The pain and joy are there as clear as day IF you take the time to look. What goes on between the ears is what makes people who they are. Some choose to be smart, others try to be smart and still others are just plain dumb as a bag of hammers.

Strong women are in all categories. Pretty or not. Intelligent or challenged, they all have that one little thing that makes them strong; they have spirit. A beautiful spirit that loves passionately, gives willingly and care unselfishly. They have a drive to be more than what they are and most do it well. This is what men don't understand. They don't like it when women are more successful than they are. It's a blow to that fragile thing called ego. It's a shame too. They miss out on a lot of happiness along the way. A lot of stories and a lot of friendships.

I have a lot of strong women friends, 2 are my best friends. They are still women but they know what they need to do and do it. I know of the insecurities they have and the daily battles they face. But they rise to the challenge, every day and very well! They are smart women. Learning daily and keeping the lessons in their hearts. Both are beautiful souls and would do anything they could to help anyone who needed help. Strong women do that.

There is more to life than a cold beer and reruns of NCIS. There is a world of all kinds of interesting things out there in this world. We all work harder now than we did a while back and energy is limited. But still, conversation is a gem that should be picked up and polished every chance you get! A conversation with a strong women will make you think and keep you on your toes! I like that kind of challenge and I enjoy the company of strong women.

The end.

Life has beaten the ever loving shit out of me and there is really nothing left in the tank to make me keep going. There are reasons to do so but not enough energy to make it happen.

I can't make a living anymore. Things are so tight that a simple mistake can cost you a months labor. A month that I can't spare right now. It's the life I choose and the life I know, but no longer a life I can live. Things have just gotten too bad. I think that is probably the final nail there.

All the regrets I have and all the missed opportunities pale in comparison to finding out way to late that that thing you have always dreamed of, the one thing that you were told existed, really does exist! But now, there isn't a damn thing you can do about it because you are too fucking old and worn out! You have no future because of bad choices. Realizing that the game is ending and you have been on a team that was playing for the competition! Yep, you have been all alone bubba! Out numbered, out maneuvered and out played.

I wont feel sad about my life, I will be happy that it was and now isn't. I learned too late to fend for myself. That you don't ask, you just go and take. That you don't owe anyone anything and if you give it, don't expect anything in return. I know this too well now. And too late.

Now it would be appropriate to go and give all the shout outs to the ones responsible for making me the failure that I am today. I wont. It's all me. I say that because I allowed it to happen. Yep, it's all me. So take a minute and remember a few things with me.

First, the 3 rules. Look back and you will find them, I don't feel like rehashing it now.

Second, true love does really exist, never settle, that path leads to the road I'm walking down. Learn to be patient, it truly will be worth waiting for and you will know it when you find it.

Third, fucking talk about it!!!! Unless you have some insight into the human mind that borders on exceptional, you don't know what anyone else is thinking or even doing. You can cobble together bits of information and draw whatever conclusion you want. But it doesn't make it true or accurate.

Fourth, if the decision doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't. Figure this one out yourselves. It's really pretty simple.

Unspoken words cannot help and they don't always hurt. Temper your words, but say what is on your mind. Expect resistance, a kite must fly against the wind!

Think beyond today. Fix the damn roof when the sun is shining! It makes life a little bit easier to live when the rain begins. And yes, rain IS going to fall. It always does.

That's about it then, hope it all works out good for you. Later.

Go with the flow

The river of life is constantly flowing. Once you jump in, you are in until you die.

It's not always the prettiest or the most comforting trip and that's how I think it should be. Explain? I'll try.

If things are to easy, we loose focus on goals. Case in point, most of us are in the middle of the current economic downturn. When times are good and easy, we took for granted that it was always going to be that way. New cars, bigger houses, the newest toys and the Horn of Plenty was flowing with the fruits of our labors. Why fix the roof now? It's not even cloudy! Then the rain starts. The hole in the roof we neglected, because we were so drunk on our own success, is now pouring into our life. We don't like being wet and everything getting ruined. Those of us that realize that we were foolish in some regards; are trying to patch the hole now. The rain has caused damage and we want to minimize it. This is where the river gets rough, flowing swiftly and threatening to take us under. Scary and yet that is what life does. It will hold you accountable for everything it seems.

We survive it, our very nature is to survive. Some don't or even try to but that's for another day.

Is it always as bleak and bad as I describe? No, it's actually a fascinating and wonderful trip. We just tend to screw things up by trying to make something great, something it's not. It's not about things. Loose everything and you still have a reason to be amazed at the this thing called living. I like what the Apostle Paul said when he said he has learned to be content in all things. That's what I want to do. Is money important to me? Yes, I'm not stupid, I have to live and don't like to be hungry. A dirt floor isn't good for my back. But money is not THE thing.

A sunrise is free and gives a show that is awesome to see. A smile, a laugh and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a friend is priceless. The leaves are changing and add beauty to the change of seasons. My dog greeting me and giving me a hug. Just having a conversation and a glass of wine with a friend is sometimes soul cleansing. You get it yet? It's not the circumstances you are in that determine how the ride is, it's how you react to it. Things happen, we screw up, life goes on. Acknowledge it and leave it behind, start to move on down the river. Keep the lesson learned. You already paid for it.

Keep smiling. Hard I know, but if humans only did what was easy, there would not be footprints on the moon.

Enjoy the ride!!