Over the last few weekends I have been pretty busy. Last weekend was the first weekend that I did not have a blog conference, a social/networking event, or a friends and family event. Lukily this weekend we have someone to keep us company. We have a Weekend Guest!!! Whoot! This weekend I am happy to welcome Lydia. Lydia is the author of the blog Cluttered Genius. Cluttered Genius is where you go to read about the less than perfect life of a wife, mother, and virtual teacher who is pretty sure she’s a genius (how else could she explain the crazy :-). I am thrilled to have her as our Weekend Guest. I absolutely love her post and have to say it is exactly what I needed to hear right now. Here is her post: Finding my Joy
In 2004, I was expecting my first baby and was happily married. So I thought. Along with my bundle of joy came a sudden realization that my marriage was over. I worked hard to stay positive for my daughter, but it was extremely hard considering my best friend of ten years had decided he wasn’t happy being married to me anymore.
In the days and months that followed, I found myself searching for happiness. I found myself praying for help and for peace. I tried to make my marriage work and used every ounce of energy I had trying to rebuild a relationship that was mortally wounded.
Somewhere along the way, I began to have epiphany after epiphany about my failed marriage and about myself. There were parts of me that I had “given up” while married, and I was reclaiming them. When my daughter would spend a weekend with her father, I took the opportunity to do something just for me.
I rediscovered my favorite music. I started watching my favorite movies. I returned to church and became involved again.There were moments that I was so sad about my state of affairs. I was alone, and there were no romantic prospects in sight. I wanted to be married and have a family. I had not asked for this situation to happen to me. Quite often, I prayed and asked, “Why?” I never really got an answer – or so I thought.
In 2008, I went on a blind date and met Aaron. We immediately hit it off. Less than two months later, we were engaged. Less than a year later, we were married.
It would seem that I was chasing joy and found it via Aaron. That would be the easy answer. That’s not where I found my joy.
My joy lies within me. I have the power to be happy with myself no matter what my situation. Would I be devastated if Aaron were – for some awful reason – no longer in my life? Of course! He was and is the missing puzzle piece. But would I survive? Would I be able to keep going. Yes.
This is the most powerful part of the journey I’ve been on since before my daughter was born. The joy that I find with my family is one little piece of the joy that I found within.
Connect with Lydia‘s Blog at http://clutteredgenius.blogspot.com/. To find out more about Lydia visit her page on Facebook and follow her @lydsrichon Twitter. You can also grab her button, just copy the code beneth the image.
 |
|
If you’d like to be a weekend guest email me your post at joychasing@yahoo.com and find additional information on guest posting qualifications here.
I am just beginning my journey of finding my JOY. I have been so busy moving, setting up our homes, supporting my husband and daughters that i losy myself! We are now in our forever home. and guess what… came to the surface when you are not constant in chasing everything and everyone. Me! Now i was faced with with being empty and lonely. My husband and i had a horriable fight in which he called me a bitch more than once. PAIN I could not overcome. I am now in counseling. And looking for my joy. And i am beginning to see a light and direction. And look forward to my new journey of joy.
Anonymous, I am sorry that you had that experience with your husband. Name calling is never ok. (((hugs))). I am happy that you have begun the journey of finding your Joy. I am also happy that you are also taking time for YOU! I hope that you will visit the blog often to share your progress on your Journey towards Joy. You are also welcomed to visit the Chasing Joy Facebook and twitter pages. These pages and the blog are safe places for you to express yourself with like-minded, Joy Chasing folks, without negativity, name calling or inappropriateness. Happy to have you Chasing Joy with me.
I liked reading this. Inspirational to all of us people just getting out of relationships and being alone again. You're right, it's a good time to find out more about ourselves and what makes us happy. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this story. It was touching and real. I think as wives and mothers we often lose ourselves and stop chasing our own joy so that we can bring joy to our spouses and children. I think your post is a reminder that we all deserve joy and this is America, so we have the right to pursue happiness and joy!
We do, too often, forget who we are. Thanks for reminding me that we deserve our rights, too! 😉
Finding MY joy is what everyone should seek out for themselves. Sometimes we feel as if we must be something we are not in order to maintain relationships. In reality, we must be ourselves or else we are not being truthful to the person we are in the relationship with.
We all get lost sometimes and it was interesting to read how you came to find your joy! Thank you!
I agree, Donna! 🙂 Thanks for reading!