Yet another one of my favorite quotes that I can apply to my life! This past Wednesday, I had a front row seat to my last son’s Senior Convocation!! Wooohooo!! Yet another glorious milestone for this veteran divorced/single mama! Why, you ask? Well I was told many times that a single mom couldn’t raise a boy into a man. Yet this is my 4th son to graduate under my 10 year single mom reign! I thought more of my friends would be excited and happy for me, but it seems that a few of them have fallen into the ‘acquaintance’ category. LOL! We’ve all been there a time or two and eventually, you get used to it! When your life moves from being drama filled and down in out, to a more positive, purpose-driven, goal-oriented one, not many people are going to ‘get it’ and will ultimately drift away from you. I’ve always been one to make new friends, as well as cherish my “shadow as a friend”! 😉 Alone time with yourself can be truly fulfilling!
Now back to Senior Convocation the other day! While there, I saw a few familiar faces! One being a dear friend who advocated for me when I was stricken by a mold illness a few years back due to teaching in moldy school buildings. When I was teaching, he would often come read to my class. His name is Mr. John. He used be a former principal in my far West End area a few years ago. I love him and his caring spirit so much! After that, my eyes fell on another face that brought back several unpleasant memories! I’ll refer to her as my archenemy! She’s a former teaching colleague and one who was extremely UNKIND to a lot of teachers I know, myself included. However, I was the main victim! She thought she was a know it all, kinda like the sidekick she walked around with…their noses in the air like they were better than everyone else and constantly gossiping about others and stirring up trouble after being asked to stop several times. And often commented how I should be remarried, like being a single mom is so bad. I saw in her/them many attributes that my abusive ex-husband displayed. That’s right, they were bullies. They ‘thought’ they could intimidate me with their daily unprofessional antics. But it didn’t work. As a former domestic violence survivor, I learned to “turn my weaknesses into reasons to fight” and fight back hard I did! I filed a formal complaint against them and contacted a few civil rights attorneys, only to find out my archenemy had put in for a transfer to another school. I did the same because I was planning a fresh start with my four sons anyway and figured that it was no perfect time like the present. So I gladly left that rarely supportive school building and started out on a new journey! I would never have imagined that my life would take such a drastic turn…for the better!
Today, I’ve turned my “demons into beautiful art” pieces both in my mind and in real life! I am doing things today that I would never have imagined myself doing….and it is all due to my ex-husband and people I have encountered in my life who tried to tear me down (like those teachers who went around trying to bully myself & others), YOU DID NOT WIN!! Instead you pushed me harder than everyone else to be a BETTER PERSON and to go after my dreams and never allow ANYONE… ESPECIALLY YOU and YOUR AGGRESSIVE WAYS and CONSTANT NEGATIVITY to STOP ME!!!! So instead of hating you, I thank you. I don’t have time for hate to be in my heart because I have been too blessed to be where I am today….a successful Single Mom, Mentor, Blogger, and Motivational Speaker, TWO-TIME Award Winning Life Coach and Entrepreneur, Non-profit Founder, nominated this year for a Lifetime Achievement Award for Who’s Who in America and someone who is known world wide! Seeing her very recently didn’t make me afraid, it gave me MORE POWER! I say to you today, what ever it is that’s holding you back, making you afraid, or trying to tear you down, do not let it!!!! Instead let that be the “fuel” that empowers you!
I love you all and if my words can bring you a bit of inspiration or guidance, my job here has been achieved! 😉 I just want people to know that my life has never been perfect or easy, as someone recently stated. I had to burst her bubble real quick!!! You can’t judge a book by its cover. Open me sister and read my ‘pages’ for there isn’t anything ‘easy’ about my journey! I love hard, “I’ve turned my failures into teachers”, and from there I’ve dedicated my life to helping others who are dealing with challenging moments in their lives. Teamwork makes the dream work for sure!!!
Reflecting back, my “pain certainly wasn’t wasted” and without a doubt, I’ve learned I am so much stronger than I could have ever believed because I refused to give into my pain and ‘recycled my heart” as often as I needed to because I deserved every bit of happiness that has come my way and you do too! The best is yet to come…
Until next time, be good to yourself! 🙂
Christina J. …aka, Purple Diva
