grace in small things number twenty five

today i am grateful that i grew up in a caring family who wouldn't let me wallow in my sorrows.

my parents have always been those "how could you throw all that food away? there are children your age starving in africa!" people. you know the type that make you feel guilty because they force you to realize whatever it is you are complaining about isn't as bad as the next guys' problems. my parents are right. i mean, i guess their whole theory revolves around not pitying yourself and realizing how lucky you really are.

i think that is a wonderful theory. but i also think sometimes a person needs to just swim in a little pool of pity, then jump right out of it, dry themselves off and make the best of the situation.

i try as hard as i can to live a positive life, but i will admit, when the going gets tough, i do have a tendency to wallow, whine and feel bad for myself. its not that i don't understand how tough other people have it. sometimes i understand too well. its just that sometimes i feel helpless and i give into that feeling.

but my family never allows this to happen. sometimes it bothers me. sometimes i feel like screaming at them "ugh! i just want someone to listen. i want to feel all the emotions a person is supposed to feel. things are not always okay! i want to feel bad for myself! i want you to feel bad for me!" but do i really feel like this? not really. i don't like when people feel bad for me. and i do not like feeling bad for myself. sometimes i do need a moment of support, but i think my parents way of thinking is really the best.

what is so wrong in my life? how are my problems worse than the next guys?

sometimes i see people drowning in their sorrows, and i watch their friends and family members allow this to happen. i think that is so sad. people need encouragement. sometimes people even need a little push. people need a life preserver tossed out to them.

i think this post was a bit of rambling, but i guess to sum it all up, what i was trying to say was: i'm glad i grew up in a supportive family who always kept me going in the right direction.