Start of the end..

[Gardener]

Great post, iwitw. I got a lot out of it. Thanks.

At times, we lbs get paid visit by o'dog's black dog, and he hops up for some attention and growls while doing so..

For me, it's every few weeks when I have to sit down and deal with the financial mess, and then pay for my stbxw's bills in 'our' old house. I have had to start fending off banks for payments now, and dealing with weekly calls from them, and wondering where I am going to get money to keep them at bay. I also look to my bank balance, and hope to have money to pay for groceries, and that my car doesn't break.

I empathize. My exact situation. And getting worse daily.

But:
1) It isn't killing me (or hasn't yet ) so it must be making me stronger!
2) This is the financial crisis of my life and I am determined to prevail.
3) And I am determined to reverse it completely
4) Like everything, this, too, shall pass. "All Things Must Pass": George Harrison

It's a reminder to us all, that we are not 'rocks' but we are human, and we also have feelings and emotions that must be dealt with. We can DB as best we can, cope with the decisions we have in front of us.
We must accept these emotions, rather than suppress them, as these situations are not easy, are not totally of our making, and are certainly understandable given where we are.
Being mindfully aware of them, is the process to move through them. Understanding the thoughts that generate them help to become mindful of them, and allow them to exist without giving them destructive power over us.

Not every day will we be perfect, or perfectly mindful, but even that is a chance to be mindful with yourself, that you are human and not perfect, and accept your faults and feelings as part of who you are.

I may not be perfect at it, but perfection is not the goal.

To steal line from Snarch, my goal is to:
"Tolerate discomfort for personal growth"

Wisdom, friend. Pure wisdom. Thank you.

p.s.I like your signature line. My take on it has always been

"Pain becomes suffering only when we do not accept it."

Peace.