Given yesterday's posts about depression and being down in the dumps and today's more uplifting posts, I thought I'd share some events from my week and what a roller coaster ride it's been.

As some of you know, I reconnected with my father's side of the family after 23 years.  That was an inverted roller coaster ride in and of itself!  Many loops and bumps. Along with reconnecting, comes the family "issues".  Among them, for drama's sake, I met my youngest sister (age 23) for the first time, my Dad got flooded out of his house by raging waters and no one could find him for several days. Even the Fire Department couldn't get anywhere near his house. He's OK.

For somewhat twisted humor's sake, my cousin discovered (voila!) that she's pregnant with twins!  Only problem is, hubby had the big snip 20 years ago. And this would be an issue.......why?  That's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg!

Back to the perspective.  A lot of negatives (depending on your perspective) have happened on my paternal side of the "fam" since I reconnected.  Most recently, today, my second stepmother (yes, I have more than two) was diagnosed with a very serious illness. It started two weeks ago and we've just been holding our breath. I have always adored her. She and my sister (half-sister, if you want to get technical) asked that I be there for the next Dr. visit on Tuesday. After I agreed and got off the phone assuring them that everything will be OK, I began thinking.......All of this shite has happened since I had the audacity to show back up on the scene!  What was I thinking?  I'm the family jinx!!!!!

Then my Aunt called me (my Dad's older sister) from New York.  She knew exactly what I was thinking (she's soooo like my Grandmother). 

This is what she told me: "These things didn't happen because you're here.  You're here because these things were going to happen anyway and we need you".  She told me my grandmother always said I was going to be the "family rock" after she died.

"How?  We can't even find her!" 

"Don't worry, she'll find us".  I did.  WOW!

Other people's perspective of your contribution to your family, your clients,  and society in general, is often very different than your own. 

Be kind to yourselves.  You're a lot more valuable than you may think.