I had every intention of joining in the 28 day writing challenge that started February 1st.  As my blogger friends geared up for this, life got in the way on my end.  Fourteen days have gone by, and we wonder how that is even possible.  We were just celebrating New Years, then we blinked and have fast forwarded to Valentine’s Day!

Life has a way of doing that, you know.

I have the option of starting right now – today – with this writing challenge.  Some would think it’s no use since we’re already halfway through the month.  But that is the beauty of things.  You get to choose when you start, and you know what?  You can always begin again if you fall behind.

The point is that you always have a choice in the matter.  Yes, there are things outside of your control … but take the items you can do something about and pour your energy into them.

You can do the same with your relationships.  Whether a romantic interest or a friendship … even with family members … you can begin again with them at any moment.  Disagreements happen from time to time.  If you live long enough, each and every one will encounter not so happy moments with people they love.  Girlfriends and boyfriends have spats, just like people that have been married for 53 years.  Families have little squabbles, too.  I don’t know of a single perfect family.  Do you?  And friendships … there can be misunderstandings there, too, or falling outs that happen.  It’s so sad when that does happen, especially if you’ve been friends for many years.  You lose touch, life just gets busy or in the way, and the next thing you know, you’ve lost that special friend you were so close to for all of those years.

Choose to begin again, if they are willing.

That has just recently happened in my life.

It’s no secret that marriage is hard.  It’s two individual people meshing their lives together.  It can get sticky at times with their own strong wills coming forth, and discontent develops at the other’s poor choices.  Other times, it’s smooth sailing.  We shouldn’t fool ourselves into believing that it will always be like walking along in the rose garden.  Oh no, you’re bound to get snagged by the thorns at some point.

The same thing happens with friendships.  Feelings get hurt, one feels they care more than the other or are putting more energy into the friendship, and pretty soon they stop trying.  What they don’t realize is that maybe the other party has something going on that they just haven’t been able to bring themselves to talk about just yet.  And now, they won’t because the one they once confided in has distanced themselves.

Often times, it is a misconception that occurs.  One “thinks” so it must “be” …

WRONG!

And a person’s perception is their reality.

That was a hard one to grasp for me.  Just because someone perceives me as a snotty Missy Goody Two Shoes does not make it so.  I don’t stick my nose in the air or look down at any one.  Imagine my surprise when people have spoken such words about me.  But it was all in their perception of me, which I have no control over.  When they got to know me, they realized how wrong they truly were.

Has that ever happened to you?  I know it has with me.

The shy, quiet type … maybe they aren’t insecure.  Maybe they just prefer to listen because they learn so much more than someone yapping all day long.  But they are often judged harshly or viewed in a negative manner.  Truth be told, they are probably smarter than all of us put together!

I, for one, am thankful for new beginnings.  And the one that honestly shouldn’t still be here after EVERY thing that has happened in life … is right here rooting for me, just as I am rooting for them.  They understand that there is no perfect person on the face of the earth.  If one strives to do better, why not put your best foot forward as well?

And that’s what we’ve done.

Spring time will soon be here, with daylight savings among us once more.  What a PERFECT time to breathe new life into your relationships and start over … take it one day at a time … and choose to begin again.