Pathways

Some days I look back at my life, and I am a little amazed at the pathways I have taken. All those paths have shaped me into who I am today. I wonder sometimes how different my life would have been if I had chosen different paths, made different choices. My life has been magical, I have met people, done things, visited places that many only dream about. Many times I am sure that my positive outlook has rubbed folks the wrong way, but I truly believe that we all travel our paths for a reason, no matter how hard or how difficult. Several years ago, I ran into an old friend who made the remark that I must not had endured many hardships because of how I looked and my positive outlook. As we began to talk, about the ups and downs that we both had gone through, hardships and illness and the passing of friends and family, he looked at me and said with amazement, well you have gone through the same things that everyone else has gone through. I laughed and agreed with him, but I proceeded to share with him my thoughts about how we really get out of life what we expect. Everyone has hard times, if we live long enough we all face illness, sadness, and the passing of those we love. But it's how we react to all of those experiences that shape us into who we are. We can let it all destroy us, make us bitter, and beaten or we can look for those fleeting rays of sunlight, hang onto those happy memories, and face each day with gratitude. This life is a journey, that we are to experience and learn from, and hopefully leave a little of ourselves as we pass through. I hope that my pathways have left a trail of compassion, a bit of hope, and a remembrance of love, and a few smiles and that maybe when I am gone, there will be some fond memories of me.