Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned from IPH

Okay, not really. But, one of my sisters asked me today how I kept my temper and was so patient. In her defense, she's sleep deprived and might have mistaken me for one of our other sisters. But my immediate answer was: ice pick headaches. Chronic pain does do one thing well besides destroy lives, it teaches.

What I've learned:

Don't take things for granted. Seriously. Your good health, your pain free moments, a child's giggle, your parent's hug, a beautiful sunset, holding hands with someone you're giddy about. Nothing and nobody is around forever. Don't miss it.

Life sucks. Really, it does. And then sometimes it gets worse. But, it always has the potential to get better, and even at its suckiest, life is wonderful. There's always something to treasure in the wreckage. I really like the quote "Don't be sorry that it's over - be glad that it happened."

You can endure incredible punishment. And if ever I get tortured, this is going to come in really useful, I'm sure. But if your body won't ever give up, then why should your soul?

Other people's problems still suck. Not that I wouldn't mind trying the too rich/too beautiful problem for a while. . . But every time I think of how unfair my problem is, I can never think of anyone else I would want to trade lives with, because I know I can deal with my problems - and I don't know how I would deal with theirs. Except, of course, with the above caveat - I have some ideas for that one. . .

It's okay to ask for help. Although I've never been one of those gifted people that actually know instinctively how best to help others, I do try to help, in my own clumsy way, and I've never considered it an inconvenience. I just don't like to ask for help for fear of inconveniencing other people. Gradually, I'm realizing that those other people are happy to help. Especially if they've offered.

Just because you feel something, doesn't mean it needs expressed. Or, as one of my sister-in-laws says: you can hurt without crying. Not that I don't do my share of tears. But, I've learned that if I can laugh when I want to scream with pain, then I can not yell when I'm frustrated, and not throw things when I'm mad. Yes, this is something people often learn earlier in life - but I'm a slow learner.

Sometimes the best way to conquer things is to accept them, rather than fight. Something I'm still trying to learn. . .

I still think I could've learned these lessons an easier way. Like reading them from someone else's blog.