I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!

While talking with some friends the other day, I was whinning about some poor choices I feel my mother made while I was growing up, and the fact that now that she has moved on from this world, I don't even get to fuss at her about how disfunctional those choices have made me, and how different my life would have been had she chose differently. One of my friends asked me how my life would be different. That simple question has made me re-think my anger, resentment and judgment of my mother's choices. I am a dependable, independent, individual with a free spirit and a lack of tolerance for violence of any kind, with a deep compassionate understanding and empathy for those less fortunate than I, and as the very same friend pointed out to me that same evening, quick to become indignant when I feel an injustice has occured. I like all that about me. Those are qualities I might not have, had my mother made different choices. So, a great big thank you goes out to my friend, my mom, and also to Stuart Smiley.