20 Things You Promised You Would Never Do

Be honest.  Have you ever said, "I'll never be like that when I get old?"  All of us have fallen short in some form or another by doing the things we swore we would never do.

Most of us made some hard and fast rules when we became parents.

"I will never yell at my children."  Come on, tell us, have you ever yelled at your kids.

What Do You Think About More? Your Present or Your Past?

It is quite normal to wonder what would have been different if you had made a different decision. Would it have changed the direction your life took?  Hindsight and reflection are the best teachers. In light of the trauma, anxiety, and stress in many of our lives, it is common to think about the What Ifs and If Onlys. 

If you could go back 20 years for one hour and change the rest of your life, what would you change and why?

My life has been a tumultuous one - on every level, in every arena.  Often the storms would come one after the other but many times they would be happening at the same time.  Every year had turbulence and it would be impossible to attempt changing anything - it's done. Complicated.  Exhausting.  

In the light of a cancer diagnosis, loss of a child, being gang-raped and left for dead, total financial ruin, husband falsely imprisoned and more...it is easy to wish things had been different. HOWEVER, who we are today is a result of what happened yesterday. If we dwell on those setbacks and calamities, we can get stuck in self-pity. But, if we look at each situation as a stepping stone to something better and be thankful for what we learned through the crisis, we will not only survive but will thrive.

Is Owning a Dog Better Than Being Married?

I never met a dog I didn't like love.  Give me five minutes with any dog and I will create a life-long bond.  After years of rescuing dogs - over 30 so far - I can't imagine life without at least one furbaby in the house. My daughter has six at the moment - the acorn doesn't fall far....

Dogs make us laugh -- every single day.  When you learn to speak 'dog' they will tell you what you want to hear -- "I love you.  I have always loved you.  I will always love you.  Nothing else matters."

A bachelor friend of ours loves dogs as much as we do and has always maintained it is easier to date a woman and come home to his four-legged furry friend than to to be married. WHAT?

Admit it -- I bet some of you have thought that.  And here are some reasons why.......

1.  The later you come home, the more excited the dog is to see you.  You don't have to have an excuse or an explanation.  Giving a dog a pat on the head and a treat will make them forget you were ever gone at all.

For Better, For Worse -- A Language a Dog Understands

 

When we think of the words "For better, for worse," we usually think of marriage. We say our vows on our wedding day proclaiming that we will never leave our spouse, no matter what happens.

But sometimes we don't follow through with those vows.  Sometimes, our spouse is abusive or falls out of love with us or...vice versa. Those words ring in our ears -- for better, for worse -- but......it may be out of our control.

If Only You Had Not Made That Mistake, Then What?

Has there ever been a time in your life where, in the heat of the moment, you would have literally sold your soul for a different outcome if it was an actual possibility and not just a phrase?

Like the time my doctor told me I had cancer and without a hysterectomy, I would die?  Instead of accepting his diagnosis, I chose to challenge him and refuse treatment.  I wish I did not have to go through all those years of pain but I cured myself and 40 years later am healthier than ever.

 



Like the time my husband decided to throw himself on the mercy of the court and plead guilty to a crime he was innocent in hopes that the judge would realize the only witness we had to prove our case committed suicide before we went to trial?  If only, we had known hubby would go to prison resulting in that bad decision.