Each of us has our...
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Each of us has our own story to tell. To tell our story is to own it. To own our story is to accept it in all its entirety, good and bad, bright and dark sides alike. When life is going along smoothly, we find it easy to accept and to tell our story. But when life is rocky, we tend to close up and cut ourselves off from others. During the rocky times it's all too easy for us to get bogged down by the "if onlys" of life. If only I had prayed more, believed more, or done more -- then my child would not have run out from behind the parked car. If only I had been more sensible when falling in love, then maybe my life wouldn't have been filled with abuse. If only I had known that those first pains were really a sign of cancer, or heart disease, or high blood pressure, then I'd have insisted my loved one go to the doctor sooner. If only I had studied harder, or stayed in school longer, or changed jobs before the company closed ... If only I could have seen then what I know now ... Do these "if only" questions sound familiar to anyone? We each have endless ways of asking our "if only" questions. Sometimes these questions help us to learn more about our faith, about ourselves, and about the way we relate to others. But more often than not, these "if only" questions cut us off from the love, peace, and strength that is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ. It's almost as if these "if only" thoughts keep us from recognizing our living Lord and Savior. Are these "if only" questions flourishing in your life?
-- Conroy
-- Conroy
