Aside from death, no matter what happens to you, good or bad, life goes on. History proves it. You can have a horrible day, but life goes on. Your significant other may dump you, but life goes on. You might wreck your car, with only injuries, but life goes on. That’s the way it works. No matter what happens, as long as you live through it, life goes on. Period.
Now, how life goes on depends upon the person’s actions after the event.
According to my man, Albert Ellis, humans choose their emotions based upon what is believed should have been done, shouldn’t have been done, should have been said, or shouldn’t have been said. Who’s Albert Ellis? Ellis was an American Psychologist who developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), in response to his beliefs that humans Rationalize (Think) about events, then Emote (Sadness, Anger, Happiness, Feer), then behave in response to those thoughts and emotions (cry, outburst/yell, laugh, shake, run, pee).
I said my man earlier, as my profession has, mostly, been that of a counselor and I follow Ellis’ theory. That’s why I believe that how a person’s life goes, depends upon his or hers response to what has happened in life. In the mid 90’s, I had a high school student, a young lady, Amanda, that headed up the Students Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.) club. Valentine weekend, S.A.D.D. Sponsored the Valentine dance. Once the festivities were over, Amanda headed out, to drive home, with plans to drop three friends off, on the way. They didn’t make it.
Right outside a local bar, a patron (aka Drunk Driver) pulled out on the farm road, and then drifted over the yellow line. His car hit Amanda’s, left front fender to left front fender, crushing both vehicles. Amanda was badly injured, her left leg shattered, in addition to numerous other injuries. Luckily her three friends suffered minor injuries.
Amanda was lucky. In fact everybody was lucky, as nobody died. Ironically, the drunk driver was unhurt. I hear that it’s not uncommon for it to happen that way.
It took years for Amanda to walk again, and she and her friends battled emotional scarring, but! . . . . none of them held onto what happened that night. None of them held on to the fact that they were victims of a drunk driver. None of them gave up and allowed that night to ruin their lives. Each day, each one decided how their life would go on.
They chose the positive route. They chose to overcome what had happened. They chose to make their lives as good as they could, and they continue to do so today. At least the ones that I’m still in touch with.
How about you? Each time something doesn’t go your way, you’re life will go on, but will it be in the positive direction, or negative?