find my place in life

How I did it: This ties in with my other goal of moving overseas. Normally when your an aussie moving to nz you get the comment, why? its just like another state. But those people could not be any further from the truth!!! Where we moved to was Queenstown, and it is beautifully multicultural. I had had some problems over the previous few year which tore me apart... and made me feel like i had no place in the world... mainly death, divorce, etc etc... but after talking to the people I met o/s (mainly brazillians, but also people from India, Czech, Chile etc) I found that my life isn't so bad. Examples of stories i had been told were husbands forcing their wives to prostitute for their friends, whilst her children were still in the house, only for her to have to decide that she couldn't take it anymore (as well as the beatings she used to get) and she left all she knew behind... including her babies.... meanwhile  the husband was so annoyed at her doing this that he racked up a huge credit card debt that she is still trying to pay off, preventing her from saving the money for an airfare back to regain her children.... another girl was forced into an arranged marriage, after 10 minutes of meeting she married a stranger, then had a baby with him some months later, only for the baby to be stolen from her arranged husbands parents ... that was over 2 yrs ago and she is still trying to find him.

It was stories like these that made me realise that my problems happen in life... death is a part of the circle of life and it is, unfortuantly, inevitable. Divorce, in our society, in these times, seems to be, as well... a common occourance. But for these people to get through such horrific experiences (and to be so positive!) it really made me change my view on myself, and the world. I finally found my place, which was... i guess, to be at one with myself, not to hold grudges, and to learn... my place in life, to me, is to listen, and learn from the stories im told and experiences i have. I can help people, and although I may not be able to change the world, when these women had bad days, they would always come to me, because i had the patience (and empathy) to listen and offer support (even if it was just a hug) for the first time in my life, i put my own 'problems' aside, and really focused on what was important... life, love, friendship, faith and most importantly, hope.

Lessons & tips: there really are none... this is a goal that can be achieved in so many ways, and you will achieve it... even without searching to.

Resources: my amazing friends! I think of you everyday and pray that everything works out for you soon.... besos!

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Jan 01, 2009, 06:26AM PST | 0 comments