Still lots to learn

Living with Kennedy's Disease provides an opportunity for learning more about life and myself every day. 

I believe "nothing comes into existence uninvited." Everything that happens in my life is a potential learning experience depending upon how I respond to the situation. 

I further believe these erroneous beliefs and misconceptions I carry with me are tested repeatedly until I eventually understand and accept reality. If I react negatively to someone's actions, it is because I still have not fully accepted that everyone is fighting his or her own personal battle.

The quotes below are from Maya Angelou, a well-known and respected author and poet.

I've learned that…

• No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. 

• You can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. 

• Life sometimes gives you a second chance. 

• You should not go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. 

• If you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you. 

• Whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. 

• Even when I have pains, I do not have to be one. 

• I still have a lot to learn. 

The "life goes on, and it will be a better tomorrow" comment above is similar to one of my favorite sayings, "This too will pass." My father use to remind me when I was a teenager, "it is not the end of the world," when I would over react to something negative in my life. Even though I did not want to hear it at the time, he was always right. 

In addition, the "decide something with an open heart" comment above goes hand-in-hand with Plato's quote that "everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." Just recognizing that everyone is tested in his or her own unique way makes it easier to "accept the situation and move on."

Ms. Angelou has many wonderful quotes and sayings. One I particularly like is "a bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." I hope you understand I am singing today even though I still do not have all the answers.

One thing is for certain, "I still have a lot to learn."