A friend of mine had a dark period of self-doubt a year or so ago, and wrote a poem that broke my heart for her. Sometimes I have a jolt of wisdom (and wonder where the hell it came from) that takes everyone by surprise, and this was one of those times.

I revisited her poem today,  just to remind myself that everyone has those dark periods of self-doubt, so that maybe the one I’m going through right now regarding my writing would not seem so lonely and desolate. I found myself facing my own words, and shamed that I had forgotten them.

And so I share them with you, handing you the bludgeon with which to beat me senseless should I lapse again.

I have learned this above all else, and a hard lesson it was, too, but well-worth the pain it took to learn it:

• You are responsible only for your own actions and reactions. You are worthy of love in God’s eyes, and He WILL send someone to love you even when you think there is no one who can.
  
• There is no right or wrong way to love–there is just love.
• Your children will sometimes–often–hate you. It usually means you’re doing something right. Eventually they will realize their hate is ungrateful and unwarranted and they will become your friends. That usually happens in their 30’s, I hear.
  
• You can stand in the dark and lament that it’s dark; or you can stand in the dark and celebrate the fact that because it’s dark, it means you know what light is.
  
• You can be optimistic or pessimistic; the beauty of it is you have the choice.
  
• There is beauty in everything: in dying flowers; in harsh, baked, desert landscapes; even in chubby bunny writers. Celebrate your grey hairs and crepe skin; beauty of the body fades away, but beauty of the spirit will shine through even the most wrinkled countenance.
  
• Life is difficult. Usually it won’t always be, but sometimes it is to the very end. Don’t own regrets and mistakes that aren’t yours to own, and your burden will be less troublesome.
  
• Never give up dreaming. It keeps you young in mind and spirit, which goes a long way to keeping you young in body.
• Always remember you are loved and appreciated, if not in your own home at all times, at least in your cyber-home. It doesn’t matter that we’ve not met face-to-face and perhaps won’t for several years. What matters is the mind and spirit behind your words on my computer screen, and they are worthy, beautiful, and priceless.