Being apart from loved ones really sucks. I've been apart from my wife and daughter for 17 years. It sucks. I empathize with your pain. Let me be Simon and help you bear your cross. I can't make things better, but i am here as you go through this.
There's no sense in denying that this is really hard. Any man, with half a heart, would be in a rough state over this kind of separation. We, your readership, can do nothing but be in Solidarity with you.
Among the many good and manly qualities you have displayed over the time I've been reading you is resilience. Powerful resilience. I anticipate you getting through this and becoming more self aware and integrated as a result. But it won't be easy.
Happy birthday! It will get better. Every day count your blessings. You have a large and growing fan base. A lot of talent. Born in the best country on earth. Into a family that gave you the faith (yes, a flawed family and a church run by some flawed humans (but many holy ones)). Children are a gift from God. Grandchildren are bonus gift from God. Remember (I tell myself each morning): life is a test. Don't flunk the test. I'd love to be your age again. (I'm 72 and on a pretty steep decline in certain ways, despite best efforts (it's in the "jeans")). Carpe Diem!
Happy Birthday. I just got home from a 15 hour day and I’m eating a can of soup called Campbell’s Pabst Beer Cheddar. It’s….a swing and a miss. I hope you find a good meal today and turn over some new leaves on your continuing journey.
I've discovered Progresso "Pitmaster" varieties, which Walmart now carries at a saner price (used to be $4.99 at OTHER stores, now Walmart carries for $2.50 or $2.99). So my FAV is "Sausage & Beer Cheese with Potatoes"--it is a little spicy, but not too much. (All the flavors are great in the "Pitmaster" Progresso line. So here's how to stretch it and lose weight and save money: Take half a can of French cut green beans (any brand--or about a cup of any sauteed veggies like chopped celery, peppers, onion), layer about 1/3 a can of Chick Peas (any brand) to "stretch" the meat, throw on about 3 oz of browned organic drained ground beef, top with 4 heaping T of the soup (that uses up about 1/3 or 1/4 of the soup can), stir it up, zap in microwave for about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Delicious. And not fattening I hope. Prep time: 10 minutes, except chopping and sauteeing celery, peppers (green, red, yellow and orange) and onion adds about 15 minutes. The other soup varieties in this line are also very good and one can add a little meat (chicken or beef) to make more filling.
Thanks for this info! I love Progresso soups, and always keep a supply on hand. I'll check them out at Walmart next time I'm there. At my local supermarket Progresso soups can be pricey, say $3.99 a can.
I have lost weight eating this, IF I cut out bread and sugar and junk food. I have very little time to cook because I'm always "working" on something (at a snail's pace, takes me three times longer to do any handy work compared to my middle age speed, which also was below average speed). Other watching-your-weight tricks: try out jello sugar free DARK chocolate pudding. Only 60 calories with zero sugar. And Walmart "Winky" SF jello on the side of the pudding with 1 T low cal whipped topping on top of each cup. It's not easy to find the dark chocolate jello SF pudding. In FL, Publix carries it. In NEPA, Shoprite carries it.
Hey happy birthday brother! I didn't realize you were with Padre Krupp again today. I turned on his youtube channel this morning and he was giving you the BD shout out lol.
Well now Steve, it wouldn't be right if you were with them on your metamorphic journey, your Odyssey so to speak. You were you before them, and you're finding yourself once again now. We are so thankful you were born, and are celebrating your birthday with you. May God bless you on your birthday. I'm telling you like I tell my boot camp kids - go kick a$$ and take names! 🎉
This is a birthday take-away Steve. Damn it. Take away your anger. Take away your bitterness. Give them them back with your middle finger to the evil one. ALSO, since you gifted us with the book suggestion Greenlight (i bought the book), I watched a movie on youtube last night - never heard of it: "The Sea of Trees" Painful, but leaving you with peace.
This one is part of the journey.... and seeing it through without the consolation of normalcy is part of it. And you will rise above it.
Flowery sentences aside, it stinks. If 80% of people care minimally enough to utter some words pretending they care but don't really and 20% inwardly like it when they hear about the sufferings of someone they don't like, well....so much for human consolation. Fickle humans. Who needs that?
Someone once told me, before they died, that they were sorry for everything they did to me on purpose.
So let me get this straight. First they say they love you followed by cruel words and behaviors done over the course of years on purpose and I'm suppose to be ok for the rest of my life.
My point, Steve, is that sometimes the wounds have to heal from the inside out. If you've ever had to have a surgical wound in your gut packed with gauze ...yards of it daily...it makes sense that deep wounds of soul require more than gauze. And the sooner we realize that humans are experts in the field of subtle abuse, the sooner we find out that peace is not to be found in their company.
I would go spiritual on you but no words from that realm take pain away. Cruel human caused pain has no cure.
And on that happy note, I wish for you true happiness. When you find it, please share.
I was in the same situation more than 20 years on my 39th birthday - moved away from my home and my kids against my will. I cheered myself up by singing my version of the Beatles song: "Will you kick me out on my behind, when I'm 39?" But things did get a lot better afterwards. So two decades from now you'll probably be looking back saying, "It all turned out okay!"
I stopped into the chapel last night on my way up to bed. If Jesus is really there, he was the first one with me on this day.
I asked him to help me figure it out. I hope he does.
He is there! Keep praying and listening. I offered my Mass, Communion, and Rosary for your birthday!
Happy my friend.
Being apart from loved ones really sucks. I've been apart from my wife and daughter for 17 years. It sucks. I empathize with your pain. Let me be Simon and help you bear your cross. I can't make things better, but i am here as you go through this.
There's no sense in denying that this is really hard. Any man, with half a heart, would be in a rough state over this kind of separation. We, your readership, can do nothing but be in Solidarity with you.
Among the many good and manly qualities you have displayed over the time I've been reading you is resilience. Powerful resilience. I anticipate you getting through this and becoming more self aware and integrated as a result. But it won't be easy.
You're in my prayers, big time.
Fr. Mike K
Happy birthday! It will get better. Every day count your blessings. You have a large and growing fan base. A lot of talent. Born in the best country on earth. Into a family that gave you the faith (yes, a flawed family and a church run by some flawed humans (but many holy ones)). Children are a gift from God. Grandchildren are bonus gift from God. Remember (I tell myself each morning): life is a test. Don't flunk the test. I'd love to be your age again. (I'm 72 and on a pretty steep decline in certain ways, despite best efforts (it's in the "jeans")). Carpe Diem!
Hey, happy birthday! It's mine, too. I saw the light in Tucson on the day of the Bhola Cyclone. Hope the year ahead brings many good things to you.
Really? Nobody ever has the same birthday as me. Cool!
Happy Birthday. I just got home from a 15 hour day and I’m eating a can of soup called Campbell’s Pabst Beer Cheddar. It’s….a swing and a miss. I hope you find a good meal today and turn over some new leaves on your continuing journey.
Thanks, brother. I consider that can of soup a solidarity meal.
You’re welcome. I’ll join you in thinking that.
This soup tangent is cracking me up
I've discovered Progresso "Pitmaster" varieties, which Walmart now carries at a saner price (used to be $4.99 at OTHER stores, now Walmart carries for $2.50 or $2.99). So my FAV is "Sausage & Beer Cheese with Potatoes"--it is a little spicy, but not too much. (All the flavors are great in the "Pitmaster" Progresso line. So here's how to stretch it and lose weight and save money: Take half a can of French cut green beans (any brand--or about a cup of any sauteed veggies like chopped celery, peppers, onion), layer about 1/3 a can of Chick Peas (any brand) to "stretch" the meat, throw on about 3 oz of browned organic drained ground beef, top with 4 heaping T of the soup (that uses up about 1/3 or 1/4 of the soup can), stir it up, zap in microwave for about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Delicious. And not fattening I hope. Prep time: 10 minutes, except chopping and sauteeing celery, peppers (green, red, yellow and orange) and onion adds about 15 minutes. The other soup varieties in this line are also very good and one can add a little meat (chicken or beef) to make more filling.
Thanks for this info! I love Progresso soups, and always keep a supply on hand. I'll check them out at Walmart next time I'm there. At my local supermarket Progresso soups can be pricey, say $3.99 a can.
I have lost weight eating this, IF I cut out bread and sugar and junk food. I have very little time to cook because I'm always "working" on something (at a snail's pace, takes me three times longer to do any handy work compared to my middle age speed, which also was below average speed). Other watching-your-weight tricks: try out jello sugar free DARK chocolate pudding. Only 60 calories with zero sugar. And Walmart "Winky" SF jello on the side of the pudding with 1 T low cal whipped topping on top of each cup. It's not easy to find the dark chocolate jello SF pudding. In FL, Publix carries it. In NEPA, Shoprite carries it.
Hey happy birthday brother! I didn't realize you were with Padre Krupp again today. I turned on his youtube channel this morning and he was giving you the BD shout out lol.
Happy birthday, young man!
Well now Steve, it wouldn't be right if you were with them on your metamorphic journey, your Odyssey so to speak. You were you before them, and you're finding yourself once again now. We are so thankful you were born, and are celebrating your birthday with you. May God bless you on your birthday. I'm telling you like I tell my boot camp kids - go kick a$$ and take names! 🎉
This is a birthday take-away Steve. Damn it. Take away your anger. Take away your bitterness. Give them them back with your middle finger to the evil one. ALSO, since you gifted us with the book suggestion Greenlight (i bought the book), I watched a movie on youtube last night - never heard of it: "The Sea of Trees" Painful, but leaving you with peace.
Happy birthday, dear Steve.
This one is part of the journey.... and seeing it through without the consolation of normalcy is part of it. And you will rise above it.
Flowery sentences aside, it stinks. If 80% of people care minimally enough to utter some words pretending they care but don't really and 20% inwardly like it when they hear about the sufferings of someone they don't like, well....so much for human consolation. Fickle humans. Who needs that?
Someone once told me, before they died, that they were sorry for everything they did to me on purpose.
So let me get this straight. First they say they love you followed by cruel words and behaviors done over the course of years on purpose and I'm suppose to be ok for the rest of my life.
My point, Steve, is that sometimes the wounds have to heal from the inside out. If you've ever had to have a surgical wound in your gut packed with gauze ...yards of it daily...it makes sense that deep wounds of soul require more than gauze. And the sooner we realize that humans are experts in the field of subtle abuse, the sooner we find out that peace is not to be found in their company.
I would go spiritual on you but no words from that realm take pain away. Cruel human caused pain has no cure.
And on that happy note, I wish for you true happiness. When you find it, please share.
I was in the same situation more than 20 years on my 39th birthday - moved away from my home and my kids against my will. I cheered myself up by singing my version of the Beatles song: "Will you kick me out on my behind, when I'm 39?" But things did get a lot better afterwards. So two decades from now you'll probably be looking back saying, "It all turned out okay!"