Broken Pieces Resurface in a Storm

Destination 9.5 of the Unwanted Necklace

Just as I feel confident in navigating my life with the unwanted necklace, a storm works its way up the coast unexpectedly. After months of adjusting to the missing bead, the lack luster metal and the overall ugliness of it, what has been missing all along cames to find me. The tidal wave of emotion washes over me and almost takes me under a third time. It is time to face what has been broken and missing in life. It is time to fight for my life, my sanity, my soul. I swim to the surface, where I know oxygen awaits me.

Once on shore again, shaking and in disbelief over what just happened, I realize that I am going to make it. What has been broken and missing has made me stronger each time the storm comes and this time is no different. I will be able to take the experience of this tsunami and be ready for the next time the missing bead resurfaces. For now, it will return to its box in the event that the time comes for an attempted repair and reattachment. But for now, we shall go on living with the necklace as it is...imperfect.

Chapter 9: Upside Down

Journey of the Unwanted Necklace Chapter 9 December 22, 2009

So this necklace entered our lives just 3 months ago as an unwanted castoff. Just as Cheryl and I were going through some unsettling events, we decided to take the focus off of all that and have some fun with this piece of dull, beaded metal. It was off to a telling start, as one of the beads broke and fell off during the first hour. We didn't give it much hope just as we didn't have much hope for the 2009-10 school year.

Sometimes however, we need to look at things from a different point of view. Like turning something upside down. When we do that, we may see something that we never noticed before. We may actually be open to thinking about a situation a little differently.

I like to consider myself an optimist. I am all for seeing the glass as half full and finding the silver lining. I like to live each day as if it were my last and try not to let the little things get me down. At times this is difficult to do, especially when life gives you dull metal and broken beads to wear. But I felt that I could do it. I could wear this necklace proudly and let it see the beauty in life through my eyes. Little did I know, it would actually be turning me inside out. Through the journeys it has taken me on, I have been able to look at my life a little differently.

No matter how trying a situation may be...there are always good things. We just can't let the pressure or the disappointment of a situation take over our soul. If we stay true to ourselves, we can change the way we look at life...we can let the dull appear shiny and the missing not be dwelled upon. There are so many beautiful things to fill in that missing gap!

Destination 8: The Unwanted Feels Wanted
December 16, 2009

Sometimes when life leaves us feeling unappreciated, unattractive and like we have nothing to look forward to...the border is a tempting place to go. Sometimes, a trip over the border is enough to recharge our batteries and help us to look at ourselves a little differently. Feeling beautiful can be a powerful feeling. When someone is able to look at themselves from a different point of view, or through someone elses eyes, it is like a vacation far away from reality. Suddenly our flaws aren't as visible, and we can almost forget about the missing olive for a few moments. The tough decision to make, however...is how far over the border to go and how long to stay. It feels so good to be away for a while, but it is just a fairy tale. Our old life with its problems and stress is just waiting on the other side, missing olive and all.

"Ugly Crosses the Border"

Part 7

Sometimes we just need to get away. The ugly in life drags us down. We become fed up and at times, overwhelmed, with the regular and the everyday and we need to spice things up a bit. This CAN be accomplished in small ways, sleeping in, opening a nice bottle of wine with dinner, some good shopping, but sometimes everything just gets too menial, too ordinary, too painful and we have to cross the border. That is just what we did, "UN" in tow, last week, as we headed to Canada for a cousin's wedding. As we drove there, I realized how long it had been since we had "gotten away" on a real "adventure." We crossed the border, for the first time with our passports. We stopped at Canadian wineries, Wayne Gretzky's included. We had a wonderful time in Oakville, Ontario for the wedding, and also spent a little time in Toronto, a big city, so different and so energizing compared to our everyday life. But then, it wound down, and it was time to cross the border again...back to life, back to reality...we headed back knowing we were facing a family funeral in the coming days as Tim's grandmother had just passed away at the age of 85. Cognizant of that fact, we also made time to stop and see family, and my grandfather, in Buffalo, on our way home. Yep, real life hit us fast, pretty much the MINUTE we crossed back, but was it really ever far from our minds? We had slipped away, we had lived for a few days, a different life, but reality was always there. Crossing the border is good, but it does seem, that generally, we all do find our way back home.