Life Lessons from the Wizard...

...of Oz that is. I was singing to the kids, one of the usual requests, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," much better by Judy than myself. But the kids like it.


As I was singing it I was lost thinking about how nice it would be to follow the blue birds over the rainbow, to that wonderful place where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops...

Then as my mind usually does, I wandered to the movie. Where Dorothy really wished she could escape her problems, hers are quite minor when compared to adult life. Chores, crazy ladies on bikes, compared to you know, divorce, new families, parenting plans, debt. Anyway the wish she made was granted. She flew over the rainbow to the land of her dreams. Lemon Drops and munchkins toting lollipops. But it wasn't all sugar flowers and golden walkways. It was way worse than everyday life. Wicked witches, flying monkeys...who wants that?

So if Dorothy's simplistic teenage problems were countered with death defying acts of melting witches with water, well what would I be countered with if my wish to fly amongst the blue birds came true?

If I could escape my problems of today, my worries, my fears, my heartaches. What would I get in return? I don't even want to think about that. I don't think I've ever thought of the Wizard of Oz as more than a fairy tale. I don't really know why, it's a pretty obvious Moral type story. As a friend said today, and I'm sure you've heard before, "the grass isn't always greener."

Self pity and the loss of self worth is a horrible place to be. I'm sad that I was feeling so strong less than a week ago, heck a few days ago. And today and yesterday I was hit with facts and insults that shook me to the core. Words, mean words, from another person. A person that has made decisions they think are better than mine because, why? I'm still not sure.

I have made mistakes, I mentioned them in my first entry. I fixed the situation the best I could. I remedied the situation as fast I was able to, and now it's done. I have a good stable home for my kids. I'm not perfect, I will never be perfect. If I was what would be the point in living anymore? If you have nothing to improve on you have nothing to hope for, no goals to achieve.

So although the lullaby is very inviting, and if I could truly fly over the rainbow and guarantee everything would be right as rain, well yeah I would think about it. But right now I'm going to pull myself up, out of this negative thinking. I read somewhere ... maybe another friends comments? Anyway No matter what you do as a parent you will always be able to look back and wish you did something differently. Guilt. It's what we carry as parents. So I will do the best I can and keep trying to improve, it's all I can do. It's the best I can do.

Besides that, if I could have all my wishes made true, would I even appreciate them? I will be stronger for what I endure. I will be grateful for the earnings I receive. I will be proud of who I am and what I have become. I will cherish the two perfect lives I have been given the honor of protecting. And I will not let anyone, even myself, get in the way of their happiness and well being.

So take a lesson from the Wizard, Rainbows and Lollipops sound great in theory but life is what it is, and it's never any greener over there than it already is here. Work through it, be strong, and you will be rewarded in the end.



And in case you need a refresher on the song, here is one of my favorite versions by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole...