Well, I explained it the best I could considering my speech to text app $uck$, lol
A final note on "confidence", in general, and let me preface this by saying that I am not generally one to proselytize, but I do think this is important to offer up given how helpful it has been to me:
My recollection is that you and your W were people of faith. If not, feel free to ignore (but hopefully at least thoughtfully consider) the following: I have personally found, and from talking to other people of faith and being around them, that there are very few things... and for me, personally, nothing... that gives you confidence in every aspect of your life like a personal relationship with God and a solid grounding in the understanding of scripture. (Finding the right church/congregation helps too-- We are all imperfect/broken creatures down here, and some entities/groups/etc are less positive/uplifting than others... and some are just bad fits for any given individual. Different people come to God in different ways). The fundamental message of Christianity (and I apologize to those of other faiths on here-- not trying to marginalize, i just don't have any more than a rudimentary understanding of any other faith) is one of hope... of being forgiven for all of your screw ups no matter how bad, and of living not just for eternity but living right now while you are here on earth a life "fully alive". If you need not fear death, than what is there to fear? Lots of really great, confidence-inspiring passages in scripture. Two of my faves:
""For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
--Jeremiah 29:11
"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
--Romans 8:31
There are countless others, but I will stop, now, because discovering and reading and reflecting on these things yourself is, imo, an important part of the journey... and also because this is not a "religious" site and I know not everyone is a person of faith and some people are even put off or offended when people post about it online. However, I wanted to share this because rediscovering and growing in my faith was the one single thing... my bedrock foundation... that kept me from fully despairing in my darkest moments (and there were many) when it looked like my MR had no shot at surviving and/or I started to think my life was a disaster. Attending a new churfch and meeting the congregants and hearing fresh insights on scripture and the personal revelations that went along with that... I just cant put into words almost how important that was to my GAL and to my personal outlook on everything. Because of that work and the growth/development of my faith , at the end of the day, i was always able to came back to: "No matter what happens, i know, in the end, everything will be alright. I know where I am going and i know God has a plan for me and it is a good one... even if my marriage fails, I lose my job, and Icontract some dreadful disease. It;s okay. At the end of it all I know where I am going." I cannot overemphasize how important that faith was to me, and how it was the foundation for everything else I did-- my CONFIDENCE in everything I did and in all my interactions with other people... including the strength to walk away from my wife when doing so looked like the definitive end of a 25 year relationship"
Peace to you in the New Year!
Last edited by hoosjim; 01/02/2005:24 PM.
H53/W51, R-ing 4/'18
"Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires"-Sg.of Sg 2:7
"So oftentimes it happens,that we live our lives in chains, & we never even know we have the key"-Eagles III 1:3
