The past

I'm grateful for my past and what it has made me. I've touched on this before, but even the bad things that have happened in my life have shaped me and help make me into a better person. It's particularly strong a feeling today because today is my dad's birthday and so I've been thinking a lot about him. I really think he is the reason that I am such a strong person. I know I would never condone his methods for child raising, which are more in tune with what would be used internment camps, but I do know that because of his influence I am a better, stronger person. I'm grateful for my first husband (short marriage that the Catholic church didn't even think was a real marriage) because Q and I would not have the wonderful marriage we do without my having the experience and growth from the former relationship. I'm grateful for my mom's family and their examples of acceptance and love through everything because they have shown me so much. I'm grateful for every little thing that has happened in my life and I wouldn't change a bit of it because I would never risk losing all the wonderful things in my life.