The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter. ~Author Unknown

It seems that there are quite a few difficulties in life lately.  Whether it has been the seemingly unending rain this year in Oregon or the unending bad news about my school district's budget problems, all of it seems to be taking a toll.  There have been breaks in the rain and everyone I know has taken full advantage of those breaks when they occur.  There haven't, however, been many breaks in the budget woes my district is facing and it is really starting to show.

I was visiting with a friend last night after the budget meeting and at some point is was obvious neither of us had anything more to say about the problem.  Every time we get more information it just leads to more questions.    So, we shifted gears and I found myself talking about some of the other difficulties I have had in my recent life.  John's death and the grief that has accompanied his death is definitely one of the more difficult things in recent history.  Our desperate struggle to get pregnant was certainly a difficulty that has influenced me to my core, as has the wonderful, unexpected blessing of Taelin at the end of that journey (which brings a whole new set of challenges).  Some of the relationships in my life that should be anchoring, have proven to bring their own set of difficulties.  My list isn't a unique one. I don't think my difficulties are anything new or special in the world.  Most people could make a list of their own, varying in seriousness.  There are few people that would claim otherwise, and those that would...well, that might be a difficulty of theirs in and of itself.

I think it would be easy for anyone to become bitter and angry about the difficulties in our lives.  I have seen it...and it is really sad.  Those that become bitter often would like others to join them in their bitterness.  I have felt that...and it feels horrible.

It is hard, when things are hard, to see the opportunities we have to better ourselves.  I know for myself, if the Jodie of today went back and told the "trying to get pregnant" Jodie any kind of advice of all that I would learn, it wouldn't go very well.  It was too hard at the time and I wasn't listening to anybody.  But having gone through that and learning what I did, I now know that there are opportunities for me to rise above the angry and worry (not that I always take them...).  I know that I will get through the difficult times with the things I hold dear intact.  It has shown me the things that I need to hold dear and the things that I should just let go of.

Maybe I am not quite as a "half-empty" person as I think I am.  Maybe, just maybe, I am coming around.