No Time For Self-Pity

     When life gets hard and sends you down an unexpected road, it is easy to slip into a "Why me?" self pity type of thinking. It's easy to think of all the things you don't have or all the things you can't do. It takes consistent effort to think, instead, of what you have and what you can do. In my life, I have found consistent strength in the phrase, "I am lovable and capable." This phrase changes the focus from discouragement to capacity. Things may not happen the way I planned but I am still capable of creating something out of what I have been given. I can choose to stand tall regardless of the situation.
     This past week I was visiting with a man whose wife had a stroke similar to Mike's. I have spoken with him a few times and every time he tells me all the things his wife cannot do. He tells me how she is not strong enough and how discouraged she gets. At first I listened and could definitely relate. Now I am realizing that I am not doing him any favors to continue to listen to his discouragement. When we chose to stand tall and look up, the view is different. We see what we can do and who we can become. It is about walking with faith. It's about reaching for courage. It's about living with compassion that is strong enough to speak the truth in love.