Do your circumstances define you, or do you define them?

[Theresa]

I was thinking on the way home, (I do this too often, or so I'm told, ), anyway, I was thinking about my life. I'm 27, I've had to move back in with my parents, I have a crappy job, my car is being a bltch, my father has been seriously ill for several years, my sister lost her baby, my puppy is paralyzed, lost 3 homes to fire, all kinds of crappy stuff.

But you know what? I'm happy. Isn't that odd? I was trying to figure out why I'm happy. So far, it's eluding me, so that's why I posted this topic, to hear your opinions on your life, and maybe give me some clue.

Maybe because it's I know things won't always be like this, and I have a goal? (which will come to fruition soon, ) Dunno,

[IntrepidIsMe]

I'm happy too, even thought last year was probably the most painful and hellish of my life.

But I've got great friends who care about me and decided that I won't let others bother me, especially considering they're usually not as smart as I am, And I have coffee and alcohol,

[Jeff Miller]

I used to think that having a car was everything than it started to go out it still runs but it needs a new alternaitor (SP) to keep the battery charged but I realize the town I live in is real small and it doesn't help where I live is across the street from everywhere I need to go. So after thinking about this I realize I'm real happy.

[Starbuck]

Well, my dad has been seriously ill since I was in 3rd grade, my mom has had jobs on and off, my dad has, we've been out of insurance, a lot of preasure has been put on me, to do well and succede and help out around the house, and yet, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love my life and everything in it.

[Sam Kenobi]

I've always been happy with who I am and where I am... I don't know, I guess I've never had anything happen to deter me from that situation. When I was 12, I was diagnosed with MS, and for a while I hated that I had to be different and have to give myself shots and stuff, but after a while a have accepted it as part of who I am and just worked on keeping everything else healthy. I have great friends, a wonderful family, and a powerful, oving God watching over me. Since I got the MS, I've also worked on mental discipline so emotions don't stress me out too much and make any symptoms I have at the time any worse. I know where I want to go in life and how I want to get there, so I work hard to do it. So... that's why I'm hapy, because everything is going right. and... when something happens that changes that, I don't know what will happen, but just hope I'm strong enough to pull through and still be happy.

[ILoveHarry]

I believe people are only given circumstances they can handle. It's rough when it seems there is so much bad in one persons life, but on the other hand, it goes to show how strong of a person you are as well. I also use bad times to measure the good times, ya know?

[Link, the Hero of Time]

Alright, I'll admit that I believe that my life seems to revolve around Murphy's Law. Nothing ever goes right. But it seems that lately, I've stopped caring. If things go wrong, oh well, fix it and make it work. If they go right, oh well, Yippie.

[gilbert3729]

Ive been severly depressed for practilly my entire life, to the extent that ive attempted suicide a couple of times. Spent a couple weekes in a hospital on suicide watch. I basicly dont have any friends, when im not working or going to school im alone in my room, secluded from my family. I dont really know why im revealing this except that i dont care if people know, anymore.

Thats my story.

[Voyager`]

about the worst thing to happen to me is to have been diagnosed with Chrones Diease (which is a controlable but not cureable inflamation of my intestines) and it has never upset me much, upset my family and friends way more then me. I guess this is mainly because i try to look on the positive side of everything, I mean hey it can always be worse, right?

[GhostOfAMemory]

I think it's both to a certain extent. You control how you react to some things, and others you just go on instinct. Sometimes bad things happen that don't play with your emotions as much as other bad things, so you're still happy during it. But other things just put your emotions into a blender.

You're not always going to be happy through everything, but as long as there is hope, you're being positive about it.

I dunno, I've been kind of aaa... up and down person the past few years, I guess you could say. I've been frusterated to a point where I just wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and beat something with a baseball bat. A few months ago though some big things changed, and things have kept changing. The only thing I have to say now is that God is the only one who can keep you REALLY positive through everything... because there's always something good ahead. Seriously, though, I've just recently come to a new level with Him. He's the only one who can keep me steady.

So... that's my view

[Theresa]

I beleive in God and all that, but I guess you could say I'm having a "moment of crisis" or something, My heart knows better than my head, and I'm listening to the wrong one.
Don't get me wrong. Right after Dad's second stroke, I was so incredibly angry that I would just spout off in temper over the smallest things. Thank God everyone understood.
But for some reason, now, when I think about it, I can find the positive in every situation. Like when our home burned, my parents had been discussing building their "dream house", but were so comfortable where we were, they never would have. Then *poof*, no more "comfortable house", They now live in their dream home. Tsss, I'm ranting. Stopping now.