A is for Acceptance
"Acceptance. It is the only answer I have found that gives me any comfort whatsoever—in life, in relationships—acceptance of what has happened, and that there is nothing we can do to change it. The promotion or raise we didn’t get; the invitation we were expecting which never comes; the call or text you were hoping he would make, but you never receive; the man you fall in love with, who will never love you back. Acceptance. Even when it breaks your heart, accepting that this is the hand life has dealt you in this moment."
G is for Great Expectations
"Up until now, all of these expectations I have been describing are completely normal and a part of everyday life. What I have been struggling with lately is when does having expectations become a bad thing? When does having expectations ultimately hurt you?"
E is for Erasers
"I think it’s important to recognize that erasers aren’t perfect. Even the fancy kind I had in the fifth grade. There were always remnants left behind—faint, but the marks were still there if you looked closely. No amount of erasing could remove it all completely (believe me, I tried). I believe it’s the same exact concept with erasing people and relationships. I don’t care if you’re writing in pencil or in pen, there are going to be marks left behind."
F is for Falling
“The guy is supposed to get the girl. There may or not be a chase, but both of you know when you’re ready to stop running. …Your heart catches in your throat, and you stop seeing anyone else...because you only have eyes for them. You allow yourself to fall, because you feel absolutely sure in your heart...sure that you’ve found that person.”
B is for the Broken Ones
“I believe that in the mending we are left with cracks. A place on our hearts where we are left forever altered. Something about that person: a look, an expression, a memory that you’ll never be able to forget.
…Your cracks, or your scars, they are what make you infinitely more beautiful. You have lived and you have tried. Do not be ashamed of your scars. But don’t allow their existence to keep you from moving on—from living, either.“
R is for Real Talk about Real Life
“The truth is that between the Instagram stories, the adventures, the coffee shops…and the daily 9 to 5, there is a girl who is hurting. In all these spaces between, there is real life, and I want to be real about my struggle that exists there. So here’s to having a “real talk” about “real life.”
G is for Getting Comfortable Being Alone
"I say it’s hard writing about this because, the truth is—I struggle. I struggle with knowing I am making the right decisions. I struggle with relationships and dating. I struggle with letting people go. And I seriously struggle with being alone, just me. No boyfriend, no potentials, no one I’m even talking to, nada. So this post is about a current struggle for me. G is for “Getting comfortable being alone.”"
F is for Finding Yourself Again
“As much as it has hurt (time and time again), I wouldn’t be the strong, resilient, beautiful woman I am today had I not experienced every moment of the past thirty-three years. As odd as this might sound, I definitely believe I would never be as complete or as whole a person had I not gone through my divorce. Going through that has forced me to grow in ways I could have never imagined; so, despite what happened not being something I had ever wanted to experience, I will always be grateful for having gone through it.”
H is for Hurt
“Hurt. Heartbreak. Heal. I wish it were that easy. As easy as taking a misstep and falling down; granted, it hurts (sometimes like hell), but you can get back up, brush yourself off, and move on. Sometimes, when it comes to matters of the heart, however, it’s just not that easy. It may be that simple, but it is never seemingly that simple or ever easy. At least not for me…”
D is for Divorce
“So, I let him go...and it was the best thing I could have done for me. Am I saying it is the right thing for you, for everyone? No. Absolutely not. I don't know your situation, life story, or what’s right for you. …no one else really knows what goes on in a marriage save for those two people. It is also no one else's business… But, I can speak for mine; I can say this, unequivocally: we—existing as husband and wife—needed to end.”
Here it is...this is my truth.
"To tell you the truth, this isn't what I wanted. Not really. I didn't want or expect my marriage to end, but it did, just the same. Then again, I don't think anyone grows up wanting to be divorced someday, and yet, here we are. And I know I'm not the only one, sorting through the pieces of a life "after." "After" the marriage. "After..." A life that's just not quite the same."