It’s been a while since I have written a Thursday Thoughts post, so here it is… I took a long overdue mini-vacay to one on my favorite places in Texas; the Rio Grande Valley. What would have been my 6th wedding anniversary was an extended Labor Day weekend of fun with people I love. Not one day of sadness and I can’t say how proud of myself I am about that; I’ve come a long way. It’s amazing how you can change year to year, month to month, and even day to day. We are always changing as we go through obstacles in life, good and bad. But what counts the most is what direction we choose to take in life, especially after our lives change drastically when we aren’t ready for it to. We have a choice to keep our heads above water, to be survivors, or to give up and stop living. Though it’s a daily struggle, I choose to keep my head up above water even on days I want to stop swimming. My year of being husband-less was harder than I thought it be; I guess when anger subsides and you are faced with the reality of your life not turning out like you wanted it to, you kind of go through a mourning phase of what could have been. It was the first time in my life that I had ever gone through such a thing and glad it is now over.
One of the days I was in the valley, my best friend and I woke up early to watch the sunrise on the beach in South Padre Island. Though we laughed the entire road trip there, once we got to the beach I immediately felt a calmness. The beauty of the beach, the array of colors on the horizon before the sun rose, the sound of the waves, and the smell of the sea, all infused me with a natural aromatherapy of peace. Life may not have turned out like I wanted, I may have had my heart broken, but in the end, I am loved. If I remove all the bad from being a new divorcee, there is a lot of great things to be thankful for. With being passionate about what I do for a living and work being my biggest distraction, time has passed as I’ve worked hard and I’ve healed. Maybe not completely, but I am in a much better place than I was a year ago. I never thought I’d get to this place; I never thought I’d be so grateful for all that has come my way considering all that has happened to me, all I have been through. With all the wonderful people in my life old and new, I know I am loved, I am respected, and I am important. Not everyone can say they have those things, priceless things. From now on Labor Day weekends are solely mine; they are to entertain my free-spirit and share my love of wanderlust with all curious to watch. They are to spend time reminding myself that I am alive and that I am still swimming. Thank you for enjoying my mini vacay with me… don’t forget to take time for yourselves as well. ~A
