What doesn't kill you ...

Sometimes the people who have the most powerful effect on our lives are the ones who cause us the most pain. Damn straight. I'm not one to go searching for the silver lining, but I'm really beginning to see how my dysfunctional relationships are major growth opportunities. Sadly, it takes me an awfully long time to learn the lesson and often I drag my esteem around in the muck before I rise up, but it does eventually happen and for that I am grateful. When I look at other people whining about someone else making their life miserable (the same thing I do on a daily basis), I want to tell them "look, I know you think that life as dolled you out a terrible pile of shit right now, but try looking at this as an opportunity: to learn to let go, to try and see the person behind the dysfunction, to focus on the positive, to learn to be patient, to turn the other cheek, to keep it together". OMG, is this not what marriage teaches us? I'm sounding all lucid and wise right now, but I think it has more to with my bottomless glass of red than any new insight. Still worth reminding myself of though.