So, I've thought about doing this for a long while. I'm not the most eloquent or grammatically correct. I'm completely, downright awkward most of the time. So be patient with me....I'm not sure how frequently I will get to this, and it will take me a HUGE learning curve to figure this out, as I am very technologically DEclined/stunted.

Honestly, I've been struggling often lately. With many things in life. Most of life. And I see many of my friends and family struggling as well. I know there is so much pain that occurs daily. But we are all survivors of one thing or another - or many things. I think we forget how strong we are from what we've been through. That there is reason to everything, even if we can't see it in the moment. No matter how discouraged I get, I refuse to give up and think that this life is just about exerting all our energy to tread water, keeping our head just above the water, gasping despirately for whatever air we can get. That is exhausting. Unsustainable. There's much more to this short, bittersweet life than that. I want to see those reasons for the bitter to help me realize the sweet that much more. To not just get by in this life, but to see it as a wonderful adventure. There are too many worrisome, stressful, hectic....sometimes downright chaotic occurrences in our lives anymore. I guess this is my way of trying something new. Something to do what I can to maybe somehow help myself, and others if I can. What do I have to lose? I don't believe in keeping my cards (experiences) close to my heart where they're safe and hidden. I've learned years ago that, however difficult, it's better to show my hand. Tell my story. If more of us did this, less of us would feel so alone or lost. We'd have a community of support and understanding. Maybe one person can't do much, but it can't hurt to try. This is my way of finding some purpose in the pain...being able to appreciate the full spectrum of bittersweet.