The View from a Drawbridge

Tag: survive

  • What Makes You So Special?

    In some cultures, humility is prized over self-esteem. I get that. In crowded or isolated places, getting along with others is more of a survival skill than feeling good about yourself will ever be. But it breaks my heart to see how many people walk this earth without knowing just how special they are. Yeah.…

  • Please Don’t Flaunt Your Flowers

    So, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Hurray for love! I hope you appreciate it every day of the year. Love really is all that matters in this world, and the romantic kind is beyond compare. Having said that, I hope you will be a bit sensitive to those of us who don’t have it in our…

  • Coping Mechanisms

    We are all a product of our past. The way we cope with things in the present is greatly influenced by what we’ve experienced in our lives. Our psyches do not always know best. All they know is that it’s important to survive, and if something has worked, however twisted it may be, then, hey,…

  • A Plea to Seattle Area Home Sellers

    Hi everyone. I’m a 52 year old woman who has been working since I was ten years old, and will most likely work until I drop dead. I’ve always led a simple life. I’ve saved when I can, and done my best to survive. In most housing markets, I’d be able to buy two houses.…

  • We Will Survive

    A longtime reader and friend made a very simple and yet extremely profound point the other day. She said, “We are all descended from survivors.” Wow. Yet another epiphany of the obvious! Think about it. Every single direct branch of your family tree consists of someone who survived long enough to pass on his or…

  • Post Surgery, You’re Still You

    Back in 2013, I wrote a blog entry entitled, “Where are YOU Located?” In it I talked about how I basically think of myself as residing somewhere behind my eyes, and that my body is kind of the vehicle I ride around in. I still think that way the vast majority of the time. But…

  • Contemplating Suicide? What I’d Say to a Jumper

    Recently someone I love very much told me that she had attempted suicide a couple of times in the past year. This broke my heart because I had no idea she was suffering in silence. Having struggled with depression my whole life, I know what it’s like to want to throw off that thick blanket…

  • Compassionate Friends

    Recently a dear friend of mine lost a grandchild who wasn’t even a year old. And then I found out that it was the two year anniversary of the death of the adult daughter of my landlady. I didn’t really know what to say to either of these women. I can’t say I know how…

  • A Global Perspective. Get One.

    Well, it is looking more and more like they’re going to do away with full time positions where I work so they won’t have to provide us with health care. If that happens, I am in deep trouble. I honestly don’t know how I’ll make it. And I’m hearing that same story from more and…