Words To Live By

Wrote this 3.5 years ago and not much has changed. Days are long. Life is short. Some decisions are easy. Some are harder to make. And stick to. Some people change for the better. Others for the worse. As I watch my daughter navigate the murky social waters at school, I see her struggle with confidence and acceptance. She needs to accept herself for who she is. She also needs to accept others for who they are. Some people will not like you, no matter how hard you try. You need to know when to walk away. If someone make you feel bad about yourself, run, don't walk in the other direction. I see her put herself out there only to be rejected. Where is the line between "keep trying" and "they are not worth the effort"? As adults, we face the same struggles. People will lie to you and about you. People you relied on and trusted will let you down. Once someone reveals who they really are, believe them and protect yourself. I am all for second chances. I have been given second and third chances. I learn from my mistakes. I have asked for and given forgiveness. I have trusted the wrong people. I have been burned. I have picked myself up and I have helped others in need. I find it strange that my 10 year old daughter and I are facing the same social turmoil. I have seen girls make her feel bad about herself. Why is the voice of another 13 year old girl more powerful to my daughter than her mother's voice? Why are we more willing to accept and believe the worst about ourselves than the good? I am far from saintly. I struggle daily, even hourly, just to be a good person. Most days I think I do a pretty good job. I stick by my friends who need me and can be trusted. I give people the benefit of the doubt. Being a person who runs and hides from conflict and confrontation, I have kept people in my life too long. Eventually, I realize "I have not had a positive encounter with this person in 5 years. Why are they still in my life?". Some people are selfish, not thinking or caring about the impact their actions and words have on others. Some people are selfless and always think the best of people. I like to think I am somewhere in the middle.