[JERRY2KONE]

Just another melting pot, right? Hey Jayjay believe me I know where your coming from. When my oldest son turned 18 his step-father threw him out and he came to visit me. Of course I had no idea he had been tossed out on his rear. It was a real nightmare, but also a blessing. A few weeks later my 16 year old daughter also decided she did not want to miss out on the fun, so she came to stay with me as well(for one year). Double trouble for sure. It took a lot of patients on my part, and a lot of one on one conversations to help them realize what they were doing wrong. There are two ways to approach things like this, and sometimes in combination works best. First you have to get them to see things from your side, which is never as easy as it sounds, but it is possible. Then you have to get them to want to make positive changes in themselves in order to improve their own lives. Of course they are so rebelious, and unconvinced up front, but when you lay things out for them to see just how different things can be, well believe me they want nothing less than the best life that can be given to them.

The real chore in all of this is getting them to see that it has to be achieved by their own two hands. That is where the truly enlightening experience lies. Both of them are now 25 & 22 and working their own way through college now, without our help. The best part is that they now see the light and respect us for our efforts and knowledge. No it is not an easy task, but if you are committed to the challenge you can make anything happen. Sometimes we need outside assistance as a communication buffer. What ever it takes.

You cannot expect any kind of repayment either by way of Karma or any other source. If it comes, it comes. God does not torture us, he challenges us. It is not in the failing or succeeding that we are defined. It is in the efforts of recovery that truly define who we are.