Usually I hate taking Part 2 without taking Part 1, but I was a rebel today and did it anyway! Oh, I’m so bad.

Turns out that Linda had a sub today, so Joanne led the class and was awesome. When she said that she had a 2 page book excerpt to read I was like “Groan!” (I didn’t say that out loud, BTW - it was in my head. Can you imagine? “I’d like to read this excerpt-” “GROAN!” That would have been weird. And rude. Sorry, I’m tired.). But she read what I imagine was the beginning of “Lies at the Altar: Truths to a Great Marriage” by Dr. Robin Smith, who I guess is on Oprah a lot and stuff. The gist of it was that she was seriously involved with an addict, and not only did he lie to her and others, but he turned her into a big fat liar too. She wrote something like “I would lay out his disguises on the bed in the morning”, and would help him concoct his fake truths, and repeated these lies to those he loved and anyone who asked.

What struck me was how she didn’t play the victim. This was not “Look what this addict did to me. I trusted him and he made me into this monster.” It was “Look what I became. It was because of this man, but I had a hand in it.” She took responsibility for these actions, and I feel that once that happens you can turn your life around. Her perspective was one that allowed her to move forward - and be an author that has her own Oprah segments.

One of the students went on Dr.Smith’s website and said she writes “Some people believe that they don’t need what they do need.” I came across this personally today. I’ve been hurt by a friend’s actions but kept saying that I didn’t care, it didn’t matter, whatever. But when I had the chance to tell her, I did. I did because I DID care and it DID hurt my feelings. I didn’t think I needed her to apologize or to tell me she didn’t mean what she did, but I did. I was lying to myself in saying that I didn’t care and I was lying to her when I’d turn down social outings without telling her the real reason why.

So, what’s your truth? And what’s stopping you from reaching it?

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Today I’m grateful for Hawaii, and that I get to go there on my honeymoon!