You ever hear that song - "What A Difference a Day Makes"?

And it does - in so many ways. One day, you can be on top of the world - everything is going your way, as they say, there are few, if any, obstacles blocking your path. Oh we all must deal with the every day facets of life - but today, things are good - I can face the world, I am invincible!

I am blessed. I am lucky. I am fortunate - there is always someone far worse off than I! Why should I complain? How can I complain? There are people starving in the world, people who have no clean water to drink! How can I complain?

Or.......from an outside view we look at the life of another person.

They are SO lucky! They've never had to work a day in their life to have what they have! Everything - was handed to them on a silver platter. She gets what she wants, because she is so pretty - good looks means everything. Oh, you can have all the knowledge and ability in the world, but unless you know someone, you don't have a chance of getting your foot in the door.

What a wonderful husband she has or what a wonderful wife he has - she/he doesn't realize how lucky she/he is. If only I had a good man or woman in my life, or a good job, if only if only if only......

You never know the life of another person until you have walked a mile in their mocassins.

None of us do. But we judge others. We assume - we suppose and we discuss and form our opinion or viewpoint or judgment based upon that alone. We ALL do that - at one time or another in our lives, or maybe more than we should.

What's that old saying? "The grass always looks greener or the other side."

I've often wondered who were the people who first coined these phrases of wisdom? What were their lives like? Well, more than likely friends, not all that different from yours or mine.

I love words - I love to write - it has been a life-long passion - one that has made it possible for me, so often throughout my lifetime, to survive and to move on - to overcome a troubled time - and oh yes, how often, it has made me - inspired me - driven me, to do so much more in my life.

And no matter how often throughout my life, I've had people tell me how something I wrote, mattered to them; that, to me, is the best thing of all, about writing.

Throughout this website, you read alot of poetry I have written. I never use to write poetry - not until a few years back. It didn't interest me. I have, for years, written editorials, opinions, or written to elected officials or others on issues and other things, in an attempt to make a difference or to effect change. As someone also said, "the power of the pen, is mightier than the sword." How true!

But this is the first time ever in my life, than I have opened up a part of me that is so personal and to chance exposing myself to the entire world - whoever happens upon this, to read what I've written. It's to lay vunerable, naked, exposed. To know that to do this, is to run the risk of having someone take my words and what I have written here and twist them - or to use them against me in some way, some fashion. But, maybe it's because I'm getting older - I'm physically ill - I've faced physical death - that this exposure and vunerablity I am risking, is no longer so frightening to do.

I don't want pity - I never wanted pity from anyone. Respect? Yes. Love? Yes. Friendship? Yes. Freedom? Yes! Freedom to be who I am - what I am and to be accepted for that.

When we look back on our lives, we would all probably make changes if we could - we all have regrets, or we second-guess a decision or choice that we made. If only....if only......

I found myself doing that tonight. But I know there is no going back - I cannot change what is - I can only try to change what will be. That's all any of us can do. And even at that, there are things in life, we will never be able to control.

So, whoever said, one day at a time. Live today like it's your last - Dance like no one is watching - give today your best shot because it may be the only one that you haave - not exactly phrased perhaps as it was said, but you get the idea. All these things are wise and what we should try to do - despite the great difficulty in doing it.

I know that the one thing in my own life that has kept me going - one foot after another, even at those times when I wanted so much to say to hell with it all - I'm tired - tired of fighting, tired of trying, I'm just so sick and tired of being sick and tired, my faith keeps me going - my spirituality - my belief, without doubt, that there is a Great One who created each of us - who hears our cries and knows our hearts and who understands - who love us no matter what - and expects nothing from us in return, but to try our best - to be good to one another, to try, so that we leave this world, for the next, at least we can feel and know, that in spite of it all, we tried our best.