A Simple, Complicated Life

For most of us, life is a journey, a blank canvas awaiting a master artist. In most things of daily life, we either look at the smallest things with awe and wonder, or we pass them by, never giving them a second thought. I love when I have moments like that; when everything around me has a purpose and design. The sounds of walking on sand sounds louder, the color of leaves looks brighter.

Part of the charm of living in a small, southern town is that although life seems simple, at the same time it's complicated. Stereotypes aside, life here in Alabama doesn't revolve around trailer parks, etc. People here take living seriously and are attached to family and ancestory. Hard work comes at a price and takes its toll on families just like it does everywhere else on the planet.

I have dreams of traveling to Europe, of going to places filled with history, romance, saddness, and discovery. Greece, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany (just to name a few), tempt with their breathtaking views, their people and the opportunity to expand my horizons as well as leave my problems behind, if for only a short time.

I have dreams of a life that is filled with love for not only my family and friends, but for those who have not experienced love. I belive that love exists and that is has the power to heal. For years, I have convinced myself that being single was the best role for me so that I could focus on my son. The most helpless thing for a parent is to watch her child look for love and acceptance while she looks for the same thing. What advice could a parent who is looking for the same thing give to a teenager? How could I remain positive when I've been single for almost 17 years to someone who is on the same journey I am, looking for the same thing?

It's always been important to me that I try and be the best parent I can be to my son. Although I haven't been able to give him everything he wanted, I've tried to give him what he needed, without going to the extreme. Every parent deals with raising their kids differently and every parent has to deal with the consequences when their kids expect a free ride through life, without dealing with the results of not knowing how to handle being an adult.

Until we meet again,

Amanda