“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have—life itself.” ~Walter Anderson
Most days it’s hard NOT to take on the attitude of my friend up there(Eeyore)…..Let’s face it bad things happen to all of us; we have all been hit by misfortune, unfortunate events and circumstances, and makes us wonder, why bad things happen to good people!
Life is often unfair in its givings……There is virtually no escaping it at some point in our lives we will all be affected by some dreadful circumstances or tragedies. When these things happen, It’s okay scream, shout, get angry, and feel sorry for yourself and your circumstance. I’ve thrown so many ‘Pity-Parties‘ I have a standing order gift selection-Whisky, Chocolate, A bed & Pillow. Not necessarily in that order, but those are at the top of my list. But I know at some point I have to shake it off, release everything, and not become entirely consumed by it; because if I don’t, there’s no moving forward. I’d be stuck in my pity party, enveloped in its madness.
Self-Pity is a Choice, defined as “a self-indulgent dwelling on your own sorrow or misfortunes.”
When we fall into the depression of self-pity, we allow it to take control of our lives. We become completely self-absorbed. It is destructive to dwell on negative events and carry that bitterness and resentment forward. When we keep our focus on the hurt, we aren’t focused on taking control of our lives.
If we blame negative circumstances for our place in life, we are giving up responsibility and control. We whine and feel sorry for ourselves. We can choose to spread our misery, or we can choose to rise above our circumstances.
Don’t let it consume your life. You are not alone or unloved. Remember there are other people in your life who need you. There are people you haven’t even met yet who need you! You can’t help anyone else if you only see yourself. You cannot change the past, but you can change your future.
© Etta D. Richards
Simply Etta 
When the black dogs of depression and hopelessness strike, I try to remember that behind every door in my little town is a story. Sometimes those stories are happy and sometimes they are achingly sad. This thought makes me realize that I am not alone and need to get up and put one foot in front of the other and move on down the road.
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Wow. Your words are powerful! I admire how you look into circumstances as stepping stones and not as stumbling blocks. This is empowering! 🙂
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Thank you for the lovely comment Rose, glad you were able to take something away from it.
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I agree completely that we should always strive to rise above our circumstances. We should never allow our misfortune and negative experience consume us and dim the brightness of what our future has to offer.
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