Okay, okay, I get the hint. I will change topics since no one wanted to discuss life-changes and hardship. It seems to me that apples don't fall too far from the tree, but every once in a while a crab does crawl out of the bucket. I'm not sure what has to take place to make that sort of change, but I have my thoughts.
Sometimes I wish my blog was some important political/economical interesting blog, but it is not. I just can't stay serious for long. While reading Lt Nixon's blog, someone mentioned "corporate socialization". Without making my eyes roll back in my head, could someone explain that terminology or thinking? I like the Lt's blog because he throws out some interesting thoughts and he is a smart aleck. Reading the Lt's blog lead me to this blog, but it may be too liberal for me even though he seems awfully cute. While I am tossing out blogs, be sure and check out Jesse's photos of her trip to Scotland.
We are moving Mom this weekend. If anyone wants to help, come on down. If anyone wants to look through the junk before the big garage sale, you are welcome. If anyone wants to drink a beer and watch, I am sure it will be entertaining.
13 comments:
I will change topics since no one wanted to discuss life-changes and hardship.
Ummm...I've never walked away from a challenge, so what do ya wanna discuss in this space, Lou? Does adversity make better people? Sometimes yes... most often, no. It depends on the person, nu? Some folks fall upon hard times and fall apart, others pick themselves up and press on. I think my parents' generation have many more successful tales of coping with adversity than we do...mainly because most of us haven't seen anything like The Great Depression. Our "adversity" comes mainly from being downsized, getting divorced, or having a kid go bad... most of which aren't life- or livelihood-threatening events. And then there's catastrophic illness, which IS adversity on a grand scale, if it happens to you when you're young. If it comes during life's end-game, then not so much.
re: "corporate socialization." I looked (briefly) for the term in LT Nixon's comments and couldn't find it. Sounds like something out of the Harvard Business Review, if you ask me... but I'm just guessing.
And... I like your blog as it IS, thankyouverymuch!! ;-)
Thanks Buck. The "corporate socialization" was actually mentioned in a comment. I thought it was mentioned a couple of times by "Brown", but maybe I read it twice :)
Overcoming adversity does make a person stronger. I guess I was thinking more along the lines of man-made adversity rather than something like catastrophic illness. Generational problems like drinking, drugs, bad relationships, etc. I know those things can happen in any family, but some families seem to have more than their share - to the point that those things seem normal. It just seems difficult to break the spiral down or generational curse. People do break out, do well, and overcome. My dad thought that education was the way to break out (and it can be), but sometimes the family's downward pull is too strong.
I once took a gradutate course where the teacher had been part of a study called Resiliency Learning. They studied young men who had gotten out of prison to see why some men "made it" and others did not. Their purpose was to implement their findings in the public school system - some sort of new learning/discipline system. They found that those that "made it" had some sort of strong religion. Of course that kind of blew the progam apart 'cause you can't teach that in school. Anyway, I find it interesting.
I have no comments on the subject,(probably because I have too much to say, and it might turn in to a book) but I have enjoyed reading your thoughts Lou and wanted to wish you safe driving and a blessed time with your Mom this weekend :)
If you need a strong back to help move you mother I volunteer my services. I can pick up my end of the couch.
I meant help you mother move. Not move your mother.LOL
Actually, I thought about it a lot. I'm kind of like Dawn, though, my comments might be too lengthy. I was thinking "how do people make it through tough times without the Lord", but yet I know people who have just a strong way about them and they keep going. But what makes them keep going...is it their anger or bitterness at what life dealt them that motivates them to go on?
As you can see, the thoughts still just keep coming on this. The one thing I can be sure of is that we are to "consider it all joy when we encouter various trials...the testing of our faith produces endurance...and the perfect result of endurance is you are lacking in nothing."
My enduring through trials can only be done because I hold to the hope that is set before me. That's what motivates me to keep going. That...and the joy of the Lord is my strength.
So I wondered about your friend who just lost his wife. If she is what held him together...how does he stay put together now that she's gone?
And the thoughts just keep coming. Told you it could be a lengthy reply. I'll stop now.
Thanks Inpassing. I always appreciate your input. Sometimes I think people just keep going because life keeps going. They never really overcome - that may be the reason they are doomed to repeat the adveristy/hardships over and over and their children suffer the same hardships because they did not learn from their parents.
Ashley, it is going to be wild times in River City this weekend. See you at art.
Hi Lou, have to add my 2 cents worth... I have seen the same type of families over the course of my employment with a mental health clinic. It is definately generational, but is also almost always related to a mental health issue that runs inherrantly through the family. What used to amaze me is the "there's nothing wrong with us" attitude. Everyone else was at fault, the government, the school system, the health care providers, all became the scapegoats for any perceived maladies. The lifestyle of misery, was considered "normal". Yet, in some cases all it took was one individual to break the chain and escape the mindset. On a personal note, I can remember a time in my life when adversity seemed to have camped on my doorstep. It took me a long time to overcome. Day after day of just waking up wondering if it would ever end, somehow finding the courage to keep trying. I've been blessed and looking back at all of that now, I can't even tell you what it was that changed it all. But change it did. There was a saying my grandfather had that kept me from becoming cyncial throughout the tough times. It was this: God only gives us what he knows we can handle. I'm here today to testify to the truth of that statement. Is it possible to break the cycle of misery and traumatic experiences, but you have to recognize the need to change first.
Fire fox, I think you nailed it when you said, "you have to recognize the need for change". I think that is a very important step in overcoming. Thanks for your imput, and your grandfather was right.
I think you blog is fine as is, too!
Part of the overcoming is ignorance in a way. We were poor growing up but didn't know it. We were happy not knowing! Looking back we just thought that was the way everything was. We did what was expected .. took responsibility. Now with instant information I believe there is more discontentment and blame.
Later.....
Well, now. Ya gots your comments, didn't ya? ;-)
re: your graduate course and religion (in general, not the teaching of...). I'm envious (which is a loaded term, if ever there was one) of people with strong faith, particularly since I'm not among that group of people. It certainly does seem like people of faith seem more focused and generally appear to be more successful than those without. It's dangerous to generalize in this space, but I will. It's just how I see it.
Which is kinda-sorta why I'm amazed when people without strong religious beliefs pick themselves up and go on after a traumatic event. Where DO they get the strength? There are, of course, many definitions concerning what constitutes "success" following, or "recovery" from, adversity. For some people it might simply be maintaining an external appearance of normalcy. It could be quite different, and most likely IS quite different, for others. I think there's great merit in your supposition that "people just keep going because life keeps going." OTOH, there may be more...
But... as you said, Lou, it's a most interesting subject.
Buck, I could not resist after reading this last comment of yours. I was moved by the staightforwardness and honesty of what you said enough to commend you. It was refreshing and you have managed to get down some of my own thoughts in a basically shorter version of what mine would have been. :)Thanks for sharing that!
Everyone else, It has been a pleasure reading your comments and pretty stimulating. Just look what you started Lou :)
Wow, Dawn...thanks for that! I appreciate it.
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