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I married someone who embodied qualities I had not found in anyone else before. She has a huge heart and is extremely clever. Unfortunately, I don’t find her physically attractive which has put a strain on our marriage since the beginning. My previous ex I went after solely because of her appearance and that was about the best thing I could say about her.
This girl is my (f23) best friend since we were kids. I’ve spent 10+ years being her friend but I can tell you she’s not a nice person. She has never been true to anyone in her life.
She cheated on her wonderful boyfriend with her toxic ex while they were living together and were committed to each other. She told me blushing and asked me to keep it a secret. It’s been 2 years since I’ve known and it eats me to hide it from that genuinely nice man.
We all carry wounds from our past – scars etched into our hearts by the painful experiences we’ve endured. For some, these wounds are mere scratches, fading with time and leaving only faint reminders.
But for others, the hurts of yesterday are like deep, festering gashes that refuse to heal. They whisper to us in the darkest corners of our minds, haunting our dreams and casting shadows over our waking moments.
It’s so damn easy to get caught up in the trap of thinking that our happiness is dependent on external factors.
We convince ourselves that we’ll finally be content and at peace when we have that perfect relationship, that dream job, that luxurious house, or that fat bank account.
We live in a world that’s obsessed with comparisons and competition.
Social media has us constantly sizing ourselves up against the highlight reels of friends, acquaintances, and even total strangers. We see their picture-perfect vacations, fairytale relationships, and wildly successful businesses and think, “Damn, I’m really falling behind in life.”
I have an old dog in kidney failure too. Haven’t told her yet, she just keeps being happy.
I’m old too, and I’ve had animals my whole life, mostly cats and dogs in various multiples. Do the math and you can see I’ve been here before.
The way I reconcile it is pretty straightforward, and well in line with the overall Stoic approach to things. It always begins the same way- see things plainly for what they are, understand the natures of the things involved, and respond reasonably and virtuously to the reality around us.
by Kelsey Beth Carpenter
Euthanasia. The word itself makes all our stomachs drop. It is a gift to pets and a curse to owners – having the power to decide is something we are not comfortable with. However, when going through the euthanasia process with your own pets, you are in a position to make numerous decisions that can change the course of the overall process. As a Veterinary Technician, I witness euthanasias on a daily basis. Let me share from personal experience the 5 things I wish every pet owner knew.
In our sanitized, safe, padded modern world, most of us go through life without ever throwing a punch or taking one to the face. We avoid conflict, physical or otherwise, and pride ourselves on staying out of the fray.
But let me ask you something…
Most of us spend our entire lives doing everything in our power to avoid pain and discomfort at all costs. We tiptoe through life, praying to whatever gods may be that we don’t have to face hardship, challenge, or god forbid, failure.
But here’s the thing…
The day you stop learning is the day you start dying. Period.
In a rapidly changing world, you have two choices: adapt or risk being left behind.
