© 24Aug24 Lyn E. Ayre
In order to get to where I am, you would have to go through what I went through: the losses, the grief, the rapes and assaults, the pedophile grandpa, the belief system changes, the career choices, the training and courses, the divorces, the devastating death of my one true love, the career losses, the husbands, the children, the grandchildren, the great-grandchild, and everything in between. Not to mention the recovery period, the building back of the self, the addictions, and the overcoming of addictions. All the work I’ve done on myself has created this version of me. My in-born personality traits and how I was raised played into everything that happened to me. That’s how I go to where I am.
You could say the same thing. To get to where you are, you had to go through a lot of these same things, as well as things that were personal to you.
We are built cell by cell; layer upon layer; experience upon experience. So jealousy, envy, and coveting are useless because you would never get what I get. You would get what you get.
We each have a skill set that is unique to us that we can rely on to go through the challenges and victories of daily life. The choices we make each second of the day are pivotal as life turns on a dime and keeps rushing forward. The streams are endless as we forge our own special path.
But we are also given an innate ability to slow down, stay in the moment, breathe deeply, and appreciate where we are along the way. We can even choose to stay there for an extended period of time and thoroughly explore where we are in life.
Each singular life is distinct and perfect in its imperfections. So let’s not waste any time at all thinking about what others have; comparing ourselves to others; and wishing for something we will probably never get. Cultivating gratitude will take us a long way.
If we don’t like where we’re at in life, we can stop, put a pin in it, and dream another dream. Then we can hunker down and do the work to put us where we want to be. Good luck!
Love Lyn
Creative Heart Art Expressions with Lyn E. Ayre 
© 24Aug24 Lyn E. Ayre
Hi Lyn: I agree with this whole-heartedly. I am where I am because of all the stuff I went through, from every relationship good or toxic, I learned. Snakes and Ladders.
You could say the same thing. To get to where you are, you had to go through a lot of these same things, as well as things that were personal to you.
I did write about this. I’m so excited that it will soon be published. I am so scared because I will be exposed. Gisele Pelicot was brave to turn it around stepping forward because it wasn’t her who should be ashamed but her husband and all those men who raped her. I question why I was ashamed and hid for a lifetime when it wasn’t my fault.
Thank you for allowing me to write this. Sometimes I just need to voice it. Hope I meet you one day in and around the lower mainland in one of the artsy or writers events.
Hugs
Ming
Thank you so much for your comment, Ming. I know exactly what you’re talking about when you say ‘feeling guilty’ and ‘hiding myself away’. I’ve been through it three times and write about it in my memoir, “Fragments of a Shattered Soul Made Whole”. That is my story and I felt very exposed when I released the book. But it was well-received and then I felt grateful. It was cathartic, to say the least. I changed the names as I’m quite frank in my writing and some of the people are still alive.
I intend to purchase your book, “The Little Immigrant”, when it comes out, and look forward to reading it. Perhaps we could do an exchange and meet at White Spot by Costco for coffee and a visit.
In the meantime, lots of deep breaths and enjoy the ride. You’ve gone from being a writer to an author. Congratulations.