Post Mid-year Inventory

Okay, let me sit back a little and recap this year in my life so far. Man, I need a breather!!!

How many days has it been since December 31, 2006? Uhmm...253 days? I don't know. Do the Math, that's not my forte. =p

But surely, for one thing, this year has been VERY trying for me so far. It's like all my relationships have been put to the fire to test which one will last. Let the inventory roll...

1. My parents separated. After 31 years of marriage, my father decided to walk out on my mother for disagreements and respect issues that they, as a married couple, should have addressed early on in their married life but didn't, resulting it to accumulate into a Dam of Issues and Misunderstandings. Murphy's Law took effect and rippled among us siblings--their children--creating a further division in the family.

2. My dad now stays with us. How ironic could life be? The one person I least look forward to live with is now living with me and my husband! John and I offered him to stay in our home for the time being--while he and mom sorts things out. (Okay, so what if the apartment is his? I do clearly recall that my grandmother's Will say it's mine. But that's not the point, the point is, this is where John and I are living and, as he says himself, he improved the apartment for his married children to stay in. So this is technically OUR home.) On the contrary, after 5 months now, looks like my dad has no plans of moving out. Ironically, again, John and I have been confined to the limits of our bedroom whenever dad's at home! The sala or our living room is his. He also partially occupies the other bedroom since his clothes are there--we offered him this bedroom, by the way, so he can have privacy but preferred to be in the sala since the TV is there! Oh, he now partially occupies the dining room also, since that's where his unannounced guests would go to when they're around. (Yes, he brings in guests nowadays! That's without telling me and John that they'll be coming over.) Oh well, these are the things that one should be prepared to face when one offers a helping hand. As Christ says, helping others (as in other people aside from yourself) is not an easy task! So I'm trying to learn how to get through with this phase in my life. (Thank God, John is here! He always shows me my wrongs and guides me to do what is good despite of how anguished and frustrated I am.)

3. Business relationships have gone sour. A week or so after my dad moved in with us, my hubbie and I almost terminated our business relationship with our top, long-term client because the contact person in-charged with our account has gone below the bounds of professionalism and has been attacking us on a personal level. This contact person is on a Guerilla mode and has put his Bullying mechanism in full gear! So far, he has succeeded in destroying our Wall of Confidence, Lines of Passion, and have massacred our personnel's morale. He's got good Al Queda training to boot if you ask me.

For this first part of my inventory, the story is still unfolding and the ending unsure. Just hope things end up on a better scale.

4. Marital problems. I thought my life will really crumble when sometime June my hubbie and I encountered our own test of fire. The stress at home and at work really heightened our problems as a couple. The good thing is, through Divine intervention, we've gone through. Hallelujah! Something good came through! But, as they say, never be lax!

5. Friends before, acquaintances now. Tough times really bring out who your true friends are. Thanks to a handful who remain to be real friends of mine.

There is good in all these, especially parts 1-3. God never allows things to happen to us with no reason. Every encounter, every person, everything has a reason. Thus, my learnings so far:

1. Marriage requires continues communication, hardwork, commitment, learning, and forgiveness. When one ceases to be open to the other, the marriage fails. As long as openness is there in the marriage, there is room for forgiveness and growth. Love is the foundation of any marriage, Respect and Trust are the walls and ceiling that keep occupants safe, and Forgiveness are the beams and pillars that hold everything together. You can love but retain respect and trust for another, and the marriage continues. But once you lose trust and respect, one's love and forgiveness diminishes to exist. Thus, the death of a marriage.

2. There is always two sides to an issue. You just have to listen to both sides before you decide what's the truth.

3. The truth, once you've discerned it, is never beautiful and easy to accept. But it's up to you if you want to grin and bear it.

4. Keep your eye open to opportunities and the positive light on things. Life goes on, you know.

5. Everyone has a choice. A person's character is defined by the choices he makes and how he deals with the consequences of his decisions. Thus, whatever was your decision in life (whether to be the submissive wife or not, etc.), never blame the consequences of that decision on another person except yourself. You have to owe up and stand by your decision. No else will and should.