The Problems of Others

Lately, I can help but notice that many people that I value a great deal have been going through struggles. As a good friend pointed out just the other day there are 3 of us (we were inseparable during high school and college) that are all going through divorce at the SAME time. Many other friends and family members are going through financial, or relationship problems, or BOTH. This makes my heart heavy. I would do anything to help those that I care for, to navigate rough waters. I have reminded myself recently however that it is the responsibility of the person in the mess to CHOOSE how best to navigate out of that mess. It can be a bit frustrating to watch someone you care about struggle, especially when they seem to MISS things that are evident from the outside looking in. As difficult as it may be to witness those struggles, it is necessary for all of us to work our way through these struggles on our own. Our role as people looking in from the outside is a "supporting cast" type role for a reason. If we made the choices in their stead, then what would they learn and take from the event? Struggles are meant to teach us and help us grow ... I firmly believe that and must remind myself, especially lately, with so many that mean so much to me faced with tough choices. I have decided that I need to step back a bit, my life is about to go through a period of change. I hope and pray that the key pieces that have been removed and damaged, via the rage and blind hatred of a mentally unstable individual, are put back where they belong, and normalcy can return. So my focus is on what is rapidly approaching, and the results that should come from all the patience and focus that it has taken to get here.