Hi GH, Well I have been pretty busy the past few days and had a lot of reading to catch up on your sitch! Wow, what a wonderful discussion has been going on here. The conversations about unconditional positive regard, unconditional love, compassion and understanding (both for our spouses and ourselves) - well that is IT. That's all I can say. I have been as guilty as the next person in falling short at times on this path. But it is my commitment, and I am more grateful than I can say, to see the whole group of us talking about it here. Sometimes I feel that we focus too much on the hard stuff, the negative stuff, the "bad" stuff, on these boards. Yet the only way we are truly going to make the improvements that we all want to see in our lives, is to "call ourselves forth" with a positive view of what's possible and holding that in our hearts and minds. That's really all the "act as if" is, and as Mama mentioned in her post, it is amazing what a difference that can make in turning a day or a relationship around. I have been feeling a little down today about my sitch, and this was just the thread I needed to give me a boost. We all know what to do here - I'm grateful that we're focusing on the positive. It is what will turn the tide, and make the difference. Muddle, Underdog, Always, Mama and others, I'd love it if you would check in on my thread periodically too, and remind me if I forget again.


PositivelyListening
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When one door of happiness closes, another one opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. - Helen Keller