It's Mines

I was once told that in life one must wear many hats to truly appreciate the full affect life has upon any one given person – in other words wearing many hats gives a person a true understanding of empathy.

In my life I have found this to be overwhelmingly true and with honesty if it wasn’t for all the things I have seen in my short life or been a part of I do not think I would have half the empathy I contain today.

And as it is with all aspects of life the journey does not stop in one place, it is us who gets stuck in that place whether or not we realize it, but rather continues in a manner that has become what we know as life.

(I love the circle that sentence took us in, truly I do.)

When I reflect on all the hats I have worn, both for which I have gotten paid and not, I take with me parts of every adventure.

People refer to these as lessons, but to me these parts have become imbedded in to who I am.

I am not any different than anyone else, we all carry the good and the bad with us, it is recognizing that we do that most people have trouble with.

It is easier to lie to ourselves and the world around us than it is to be honest. Something I don’t quite understand because I feel that if I am honest about how life’s events have molded me then I can also learn how to heal, pick myself up after setbacks, empathize with those around me and quite simply become.

(Yes, the end of the sentence is become, something not all will quite get right now, but with any luck for you some day you will.)

I do separate myself from this part of the population, those who lie to themselves and others, because I am acutely aware of what I carry with me. I never let any of it go because I also understand these things are what have made me who I am –even the parts I wish I could let go – and for the most part I suppose who I am isn’t so bad.

It is these things I carry with me that have allowed for me to wear the many hats I have, something I would not trade for the world.

It is in these “lessons” that I have learned that I finally found my journey, my understanding of what I am supposed to do.

It is thanks to so many great and terrible things I have experienced that has brought me exactly to where I am supposed to be, after all everything is exactly as it should be, even if we don’t understand why just yet.

It is a just yet and not a after we die kind of understanding too, and for those who truly reflect, you already know what I mean because you understand why you had to go through and experience the things you have to get to where you are.

My journey as a journalist, as did many other journeys, led me to an impasse, my fork in the road, when I got sick and was able to truly think without distraction – about everything.

I have found at times even becoming incredibly sick it is a blessing in disguise and only good can come of it if I am willing to let it.

Something I think applies to all situations, no matter the circumstances – of which until you know my journey up and to this point please do not think this naive or even mistaken, for you do not know.

From everywhere I have been (not just physically) and everything I have learned, I understood it brought me to where I was, the paper, and it was there that many of the things I value so much and learned were tested – in and out of the office.

I can honestly say that my experiences there taught me a great deal about myself.

I can also say that the saying I included in an earlier column about walking along the path with two people, a fool and a scholar, for me it wasn’t literally two people but two aspects of everyone – me included.

But at the end of this clarity – which took a great deal of thought that began several months ago but came together while I was sick - I realized “the journey” I needed to be on right now will put me back in in pursuit of the Bachelor’s degree I should have, to do what all my life has prepared me for, what I have always been good.

Granted, this new adventure limits my involvement with the paper to this column, but for as long as the powers that are in charge will let me, I will continue writing my column.

I wish everyone who has been reading my ramblings much luck on their own adventures; as this is my first column in my new adventures, I invite you to come along and enjoy it with me, because much is to be learned from each other.

Either way, until next time……

Contact Tina Mines at [email protected]