You Can Hang on to Hope, Even if it is Only by a Thread

Someday....but maybe not today, life will be easier.

Someday.....but maybe not today, I won't have to work so many jobs to try to make 'ends' meet.

Someday....but maybe not today, I won't cry every time I think of my son who left us four years ago.

Someday....but maybe not today, I won't think of my two grandsons who I have not seen in four years.

Someday....but maybe not today, I won't gasp a little when I walk into a room and see my husband holding his head in his hands because the pain is stronger than usual and unbearable.

Someday....but maybe not today, I will be able to go for a walk with my husband -- even a couple blocks would be awesome.

Someday....but maybe not today, I won't have to deal with the stress of running my husband's business and trying to keep it afloat until the economy turns around.

Someday....but maybe not today.

How Do You Spend your Leisure Time?

The question posed to me was:  "You finally have a few hours to yourself. What do you do?"  Thinking about this I came up with only one answer.  

What about you?  What would you do with a few hours to yourself? When my kids were young it was great having a few hours to be alone.  I would use that time to do some baking or have coffee with a friend.  But those leisure times are long gone and now I get excited at the prospect of having a few hours without having to meet a deadline or be 'on the job.'

Having a few hours to myself gives me more time to catch up. Since launching my new career, I work around the clock taking as little time as possible to sleep or eat.  I'm not complaining - just reporting.  It is the way it is and I love being busy - daily meeting goals I have set for myself.  I know I am not the only one who feels this way.  It seems I gravitate to extremely busy people and vice versa.  

I am the wife of a disabled man so most household tasks are on my shoulders.  I own and help manage three brick and mortar businesses which require my physical presence regularly. 
                                                                        













I am a health coach (my first passion) and muscle toning technician working closely with my clients to ensure them good health.  

I host my own talk show, Never Ever Give Up Hope, that airs bi-weekly.  This requires a lot of preparation and could easily be a full-time job on its own.  It is one of the highlights of my week, listening to uplifting and encouraging stories of people who should have given up hope but NEVER did.  



I am bookkeeper for each business, chief cook and bottle washer, dog walker (we have rescued over 30 dogs from abusive situations), house cleaner, friend, confidant, mom, grandmother....and the list goes on --- what else would I possibly do with some extra free time except  to catch up?

At least one week a month I am booked as a motivational speaker for various groups, promoting my memoir, Battered Hope, and sharing my story of never giving up - no matter what!  This requires many hours of travel.

Do I feel overwhelmed?  Some days - but not too often.  The busier I am the less time I have to think about the stresses of life that can often bombard anyone of us with negative emotions, discouragement, self-pity, or anxiety.  

Pulling oneself out of a depression is hard work; staying focused on the positive things in life is the only solution.  

So, what to do with those few extra hours that are so graciously given?  Catch up on a job I have been putting off and concentrate on everything good in my life -- everything I have to be thankful for.

What about you?  Do you long for that free time and do you use it for a much-needed rest or to finally finish that novel you started last year?  Or are you like me -- happy to have the extra time to play catchup?  And the bigger question -- do you ever feel guilty taking time for just YOU? 


This post has been a monthly blogging challenge when another blogger gives you a secret subject.  My secret subject this month was:  "You finally have a few hours to yourself. What do you do?"  It was submitted by:    Dinosaur Superhero Mommy                     

         

Baking In A Tornado

The Momisodes

Spatulas on Parade

Sparkly Poetic Weirdo

Southern Belle Charm

The Lieber Family Blog

Confessions of a part-time working mom

Someone Else's Genius

Cluttered Genius

Small Talk Mama

Rena's World

Climaxed

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

The Bergham's Life Chronicles

How do I Love You? A Grateful Husband's Letter

Babe:

I watch you and I wonder what I ever did to deserve you.  I wonder why you have never left me. I wonder....

When I met you, I wasn't too impressed.  You were beautiful but had far more electrical energy than I was used to - nor necessarily wanted to be around.  I wanted kids and you didn't seem the type; much more interested in your career.  Yet still...... I watched you.

We often double dated and I began to enjoy your company from afar. Although it shocked me, I soon realized I was liking you more - no, I was liking you a lot!

I'm a quiet guy who thinks seriously before speaking and usually has all possible scenarios figured out before approaching a challenging situation.  But I felt it was in the stars and as alien as it was to me, I knew what I had to do.

It was a Tuesday afternoon.  You would be home from work around 5:30.  Knowing you would recognize my car; I parked down the street and walked to the back door of your house.  Was it because I wanted to escape in case I changed my mind?   For some reason, I wanted this to be a surprise.   I heard music inside and tried the doorknob. It was open.  Perky started barking but quickly settled onto my lap. What was only minutes felt like hours.  My hands were sweaty.  I was nervously tapping my foot to the music wondering if I was absolutely crazy for doing this.  What if you got angry?  Should I leave or should I go?

It was too late; I heard your car pull into the driveway.  You walked in with grocery bags in tow and uneasily said "Hi?"

That day was the beginning of something wonderful but also something that I could never have survived without you.  The full heart-warming story of Love at First Sight is here.

Later......

After almost half a century together, you have been and continue to be my tower of strength, my encourager, my support.

I convinced you to leave your roots, your home, your family and move 3,000 miles away so I could live by the ocean.  I loved the water and needed to be close to it.  I knew you would grow to love it as well.

When we found out we could never have children but were able to adopt our son, you were there to convince me we would survive his loss, one year later.  You stood behind the airport pillar, watching me with tears running down your cheeks as I handed our son to a stranger.  After loving our son for a full year, the mother who tossed him aside now wanted him back. We had no choice.  We had to let him go.  You stayed strong believing we would have another child to love.  That tear jerking story here.

Letter of Gratitude from an Old Dog

Dear Important Human:

Before I tell you why I am writing this letter, please allow me to tell you about myself.  I am a 15 year old Black Lab/Dalmatian mix and probably one of the happiest and friendliest you will ever meet. My name is Mercedez and my former owner abandoned me and my siblings when we were only two weeks old.  This awful person took me away from my dog mommy but it wasn't long before I found out I had a new human mommy.  No one could love me more.