Adversity

Dealing with difficulty has seriously been IN MY FACE these past few months. By nature, I am really rather non-confrontational. And I have found that approach works well for me in most aspects of my life. I am a live-and-let-live sortofagal; I try and maintain a cup three-quarters-full sort-of-a-view on my life. However, faced with some incredible adversity lately, life hasn’t really tasted like the tangy feel on my tongue of a Matsumoto shaved ice, but more like an unsalted batch of mashed potatoes.

Recently a customer in one of my shops informed me that she had lost her bracelet. She wanted a refund because she lost her bracelet. Huh? She created such a stink that I decided I would remake the bracelet for her at cost. I dreaded it. It was a huge undertaking. Finally,  I ended up just refunding her money (for the bracelet SHE lost) and regaining my sanity. Sometimes just doing something that is contrary to what all society would have thought was "fair" was the very thing that kept my sanity. And not fighting for "fair" was certainly worth the $51 it cost me. Was settling for something that didn't seem fair really worth the possibility of heading right straight to the Utah State Hospital in Provo? I answer with a resounding Ab-so-lutely. Thank goodness that is behind me.

Understanding my boundaries, creating meaningful relationships, and keeping my tribe close is such a juggling act. In the midst of all of it – my daddy, my fighter, my role model, my hero continues to fight the battle and he continues to keep the faith. What an amazing man. This is the man who has taught me that anything worth having is worth working for; faith will bring you through everything; there is no love, repeat, no love like the love of a daddy to his Cinderella.