Samantha is 33 years old and openly lesbian. She is a newspaper writer and acknowledges she likes to drink and get high. She has been sober for three years after spending 6 months in the Jail for her 3rd DWI. Her last DWI also involved an accident in which her life partner was severely injured and had to spend 8 months in the hospital in traction with a broken back, both legs and an ankle. Her life partner was also intoxicated at the time of the accident. In These Rooms this morning, Samantha said “…given the shit I’ve been thru, there are two kinds of days in my life. Not good or bad but good and Character Building…”
“…Character Building for me is learning not to take the shit life throws at me too damn seriously. This understanding is also the source of some damn good comedy. My life has been a long-term roller-coaster ride. There’s been a hell of a lot of joy and hell of a lot of fear and even pain. Character Building is the acceptance of both as the acceptance of life-on-life’s-terms instead of hoping against hope, and fucking deluding myself, that I’m gonna get one without the other. The funny thing is this joke has been on me. Character Building is the strength I have developed to laugh when I’m standing on the mountaintop and the sun is shining bright and also laugh when I’m in the valley in darkness of night. Laughter and comedy ain’t about entertainment for me. They are the core of my Character Building…”
Yalie
“…Some fucking days you eat the bear and some days the bear eats you. I ain’t about all that Character Building shit. I get up in the morning with one fucking thing on my mind—let’s get ready to rumble. When I lay my head down at night, I’m either the fucking winner or the loser. Winning is Character Building. Losing fucking sucks. If your definition of Character Building is putting days of winning together, I’m down with that shit. Ain’t shit Character Building about them fucking days of losing. You can keep that shit to your damn self…”
Fr. Esteban
“…The struggles of life I’m talking about ain’t just Character Building. These struggles are fucking character revealing. Good days, bad days or so-called Character Building days, these days have in common that they show me who I am and some of the deepest aspects of my personality. I don’t know if struggle builds character but I know it shows us our fucking inner characters. I heard this Cat say In These Rooms this morning “…wrapped up in myself makes a very small package…” This shit is true if one is in denial about their inner characters. For me, they take up the whole room and they ain’t no fucking small package. This is what I know about Character Building…”
Hunter
‘…Money is a magnifier. Whatever we are without it, we are more of the same with it Maan. Character Building has taught me this. I thought the money made me something. I was all wrong. I have not had to live with financial challenges by birth and choice. But I didn’t like my life much with all my money. I wanted more. I wanted what money couldn’t buy. I wanted and needed to make a difference. I wanted more than wealth. I wanted character; I wanted to be a Man of character. This is Character Building to me. There’s a better way to live. That’s what Character Building has taught me. Searching for a better way to live, I found Character Building is being authentic. Character Building is finding the strength to share the money and the love. Character Building is the gratitude I feel knowing I won’t be put in the ground without making a difference in this world. I am grateful I know life is about so much more than money. That’s Character Building Maan…”
Sean Anderson
Character Building is a big subject. I dig where Samantha is coming from regarding good days and Character Building days. I like how this topic occurs to her. I like the positive attitude that says Character Building days can be some of the best days of our lives.
“…To accept the responsibility of being a child of God is to accept the best that life has to offer you…”
Stella Terrill Mann
Character Building ain’t just the shit I’ve had to go thru to get here today. I don’t buy the BS people have tried to sell me over the years about “…the stuff that don’t kill you will make you stronger…” I didn’t need to go thru any of the shit above to get stronger. I don’t believe that’s how God works. I went thru this shit because this is all part of who the fuck I am. I haven’t gone thru this shit for no fucking Character Building. I’ve gone thru this shit because life is often fucked up and I’ve been too fucking stupid to realize what God wants for me. I believe God has always wanted and still wants the very best for me but I’ve been to filled with guilt, shame, fear, anger, and who knows what the fuck else, to receive and walk in the innumerable power and benefits of His Love, Mercy and Blessings. Today, I know at the core of my being I’ve always been His badass child becoming more fully human and beautiful. This is how He made me and He don’t fucking make junk. If learning this is what Samantha was talking about with this topic of Character Building, then hell yeah, I’m down with that shit.
Read more about Yalie, Fr. Esteban, Hunter Sean Anderson and tell your story. Listen to Hunter’s Podcast. All on wreckedamerica.com. In Wrecked America, #CharacterBuildingMatters
The Struggle Continues….
