Never, ever, say never!

I remember when I was in my teens, and believe me, that was quite awhile ago...... Anyway, I remember reading articles about women listing all of the things that they said they would never do, and then, later in life, ended up doing them. I swore I would NEVER be one of those women, that there was surely some things that I would NEVER, EVER do. Like color my hair (what was I thinking? It is great to try new colors, especially if the colors cover the gray.....). What else? I would never smoke again after I stopped smoking ten years ago- WRONG!!! I would NEVER go to graduate school- I went and finished years ago. I have been thinking about this, and am really not sure why it was so important to say NEVER to certain things. What was I afraid of?

I am looking at the idea of never a little bit differently today. In my present state of mind, which seems to be pretty calm, clear, and coherent, I believe that to say NEVER to something, anything, is to limit the possibilities of your life. I doesn't mean that we have to take a no holds barred approach to our lives, that anything goes. But, if the word NEVER keeps us back from trying something new, healthy, or hopeful, we need to stop using it and living by it.

For me, I think the word never in my vocabulary, even in the last few months, has been used out of fear. Fear of what will happen if I do that particular thing, if I date that particular person, if I try again at that long term relationship. The word "never", at least for a time, kept me protected, so I didn't have to be vulnerable to all of the untidy details of life. Boy, I am SOOOOO glad that I was wrong about this word.

I really believed that I would NEVER, EVER, have a second chance at reconciling with my true love. WHY? Because I really believed that she would NEVER, EVER forgive me, or forget what had happened when I left her. I really believed that we could NEVER move forward from that hurt, even though I was hurt, too, I didn't know if we could walk a new, brighter path together. I was so wrong. If I had continued with that way of thinking, I would not have tried to reach out, be vulnerable, FACE MY FEARS. I have faced a lot of fears in my life, and I have to say some of the most daunting have had to do with saying I would NEVER do something, and then, putting on my courage and trying that very thing.

Do yourself a favor. NEVER say NEVER again. How free you will be!!!!!!!!!!!!