The Happy Column...

Dear Kids:

On this day in history, May 14, 1987 - I attended my mother's funeral. Kind of depressing, I know. Been thinking about her a lot lately. I know it's been a lot of years since she passed away, but I think that losing your mother is something that pretty much stays with you. Hopefully you will not have to worry about that for a very LONG time :)

I've been trying to envision or imagine what she would be saying to me during these difficult times we are experiencing, with your Father leaving and our divorce. I've been trying to think about what her advice would be. In some ways I can - but in some ways, not - because I wasn't even an adult when she died. I never related to her as an adult, only as a child and teen.

One thing that she did say a lot - which is timeless and applicable in most situations - is this: At the end of your life you will have two columns, one column will be called 'happy minutes' and the other column will be 'unhappy minutes'. Each column will have a total of the minutes you spent in each. Just remember that while you are entitled to be sad, angry, upset, disappointed, etc. - as these are all normal emotions and part of life - how LONG you stay in those emotions is your choice. So for every minute that is spent in the 'unhappy column' - it steals minutes from the 'happy column'. At the end of your life, you want to make sure that the happy column wins!

So - here's to making sure that our happy column is not robbed today!