There have been times throughout my life when I have fallen, whether through temptation, envy or jealousy, leaving me ashamed of the person I have become.  But each time, I have somehow managed to stagger to my feet, determined to become a better person; lead a better life… one I can be proud of.

Today, I look at life in a very different way.  I’m no longer tempted to take what isn’t mine, envy what others may have or allow feelings of jealousy deprive me of happiness.  I have learned to accept and be thankful for what I have.  Age and experience have taught me much.

This wonderful world in which I live provides me with considerably more than material possessions.  Nature itself, in all her glory, has so much to offer.  I am blessed with the warmth of the sun and the coolness of rain; an abundance of vibrant plants and flowers and fresh, clean air in which to breathe.

Music and poetry soothe my soul and I find the comfort I crave in the love of family and friends.

One thing I have learned from my time on earth is that sometimes it’s necessary to fail in order to succeed.  Only then can we truly appreciate what we achieve.

And while striving to earn respect, it is just as important to respect others.  Otherwise, how are we able to respect ourselves?

That is why, during times of trouble, whether personal or beyond my control, I constantly remind myself of these words…

Life is good
Love yourself
For you are your greatest gift

    5 1 vote
    Post Rating
    12 Comments
    Oldest
    Newest Most Voted
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    Carrie OLeary
    Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
    1 year ago

    A beautiful story, Linda. Perhaps if we could all live life that way, there would be a lot less strife in the world. Very nicely done.

    Christer Norrlof
    Christer Norrlof(@christer-norrlof)
    1 year ago

    Reading your well written story, so full of wisdom and compassion, reminded me that I once saw that there is a special Japanese word for objects which are broken and repaired. The word is “kintsugi”and it means “golden repair.” The meaning is that a thing which has a background, a history, has a value and the damage should not be hidden. On the contrary, imperfections are embraced. This is what I see… Read more »

    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    1 year ago

    Linda, I also reminded myself of those words, “Life is good. Love yourself. For you are your greatest gift”. I’ll admit, I feel too emotional after reading your story. I remember all my hardships, problems, and pain. Don’t get me wrong for being too emotional. I just reflected on your story. I want you to know that you did it well. It is beautiful and well written, Linda.

    Greene M Wills
    Greene M Wills(@greene-m-wills)
    1 year ago

    My cat, my faithful companion for 18 years, has left me last week. I cling to the happy memories and struggle through my grief of missing her so much… Your story has soothed me. Thank you, Linda.

    Carrie OLeary
    Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
    Reply to  Greene M Wills
    1 year ago

    Greene, sending so much love to you. We lost one of our cats last year just before his 18th birthday, so I really do understand how you feel. We still have his sister, she’ll be 19 next month, and four younger cats, but it doesn’t make losing our old boy any less painful. Hugs from me and my menagerie xx

    Greene M Wills
    Greene M Wills(@greene-m-wills)
    Reply to  Carrie OLeary
    1 year ago

    Thank you, Carrie. We still have our boy cat but, at 14, he is not spring chicken either. I guess we wish our furbabies were immortal…

    Sandra James
    Sandra James(@sandra-james)
    1 year ago

    Beautiful reflection and message, Linda. One we should put on the fridge and read every morning as a reminder. Well done!

    Recent Comments

    12
    0
    Selected Authors may submit comments (5 Credits)x
    ()
    x
    Scroll to Top

    Sharing a Post

    Why do my friends need to SignIn to read the post I shared?

    Actually, this is a voting security feature. During public voting, only club members can read posts submitted for that contest. Since anyone reading the story is able to vote (click the Like button), we reserve these capabilities to members who SignIn. Before we implemented this security feature, people were voting multiple times and making the public voting process unfair and out of balance. To fix this, our staff finally decided to allow only members who SignIn to read the stories. Membership is free and easy, and ensures our club is safe, secure, and family-friendly!