Character, Karma and all that Crap

I don't know who said it, but here's a quote I found in my inbox one day:

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

People talk about character. Sometimes they'll say that a challenge in life, such as a medical illness or financial hardship, is a "character building experience." People have also told me, "God never gives us no more than we can handle."

I say, "No Way."

I was not at the end of some line and born character deficient, and now in life am subject to all sorts of negative karma to build character to assure my spot in heaven. Nor am I some amazing person who can handle infertility, divorce, and long-term illness. And, my best friend isn't the Senior VP of an international software company with a loving husband and two great kids because God decided she can't handle the crap I got.

I think things happen in life. It is what we do with what we get, the decisions we make, the paths we follow, and the journeys we take are what guide, define and shape us. We have free will. We all have capacity for kindness and compassion. And, when we need him/her, God is there for all of us - equally.

Sometimes life just sucks. And when it does - grab the tequila - or make some lemonade.

My Story - The Lemons of 2008

"Good Evening" - Imagine Alfred Hitchcock's opening words from his classic television series. This is the opening narration of this blog, my story, and the journey we will be taking.

I'd like to think I'm your typical 44 year old single female, but I know that's not true. There have been bumps in the road along the way. 2008 has been the worst year of my life.

Seriously.

I'm not kidding.

Since the beginning of the year, I have encountered or experienced the following:

• The flu - very nasty, missing two weeks of work
• Pneumonia
• Broken Ribs (caused by caughing from the pneumonia)
• Evidence of damage to my heart muscle discovered during an x-ray when I had pneumonia
• The death of my mother (including being her hospice care giver for two weeks prior to her death)
• Arguments with my brother over my mother's property and estate prior to her dying
• A raging kidney infection following my mother's death resulting in four missed weeks from work
• I am now into week nine of a leave of absence from my job due to a serious illness (more about that later) and I'm not sure if I'll ever be healthy enough to return to work.

I have missed more days at work since the start of the year than attended. Not good for business. I'm surprised I still have a job. I'm thankful and grateful my employer is still paying for all of my insurance benefits.

Bottom line: Life has handed me a ton of lemons during the first six months of 2008 - normally I'd be reaching for the Patron (Silver) Tequlia - but I'm on morphine and am unable to drink.