What one thing you ever done in your own personal history defines you?

[megamania]

Was there any one event or moment in your life that either defined or redefined your life? Perhaps even this moment will always be referred to when speaking of yourself.

Mine was within the first week of learning I had cancer and may be dead within the year. I was returning home from a few doctors and found myself listening to a tape I made while following a school bus.

"Burn" from The Crow soundtrack came on and I got into it. I began to scream as loud as I could "BURN IT UP! BURNM IT UP!" as from the movie and proceeded to punch the ceiling of the car.

I stopped and laughed when I noted the kids getting off where all <5 and the teachers were directing the kids behind them and away from the roudy guy in the car screaming and becoming violent.

This is when I discovered I tenbd to hold in emotions and release them in an overtly dramatic manner and then laugh at myself.


What event has defined you the most?

 

[devilbat]

Mine would have to be moving on from my first wife.

My ex would come and go from my life. One day, she's want to be with me, two days later she was gone again. I put up with this for over five years, because the thought of not seeing my daughter on a daily basis was devastating to me.

Finally, I decided enough was enough. I made the decision to not allow her back in my life ever again. Two weeks later, I met an amazing woman who I married, and we are now expecting another daughter.

Other then my ex getting mad when I said I was no longer interested, and making up a story about getting punched by me in the face, which lead to me getting to experience the inside of a holding cell, everything has been great.

 

[diaglo]

finding out i had diabetes.

my shot at becoming a fighter jet pilot went out the window.

i fell back on my science skillz and eventually ended up in public health.

instead of training to kill people, i've learned to help them heal. or working towards making them healthier.

 

[der_kluge]

Working at Wal-Mart (the home office) and coming to the conclusion that I was an optimist. This was actually a huge revelation for me.

Entering the workforce and figuring out that I really was smarter than most folks. My teachers always told me that, but I never really believed them.

 

[Lhorgrim]

Mine was in first grade.

I was sitting on the floor with all the other kids, waiting for our teacher to start reading a story to us. The kid next to me would not be quiet, and kept trying to talk to me even though I was trying to listen to the teacher. Finally, I turned to the kid and told him to be quiet so I could listen. For some reason, the teacher chose that moment to look around to see who was making noise, and I got in trouble. I had never been in trouble in school, and I was devestated when she told me I had to stay inside during recess. I tried to plead my case, but she would not listen. So as I sat inside looking out on the playground, and watched the kid who had been making all the noise enjoy recess, I developed something of a justice fetish.

It always crushes me when the innocent are punished, and the true guilty party walks away unscathed. I guess that's why I got into law enforcement, to make sure to the best of my ability that the innocent don't pay the price for the guilty.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

Saying my vows to my husband.

Prior to meeting him, my life was filled with turmoil thanks to a alcoholic and gambling addict mother that constantly pushed me down... a story much too long and painful to be recounted here...

In a lot of ways, saying my vows to my husband symbolized my leaving her behind.

 

[Rel]

It was near the end of summer the year after I graduated high school. My girlfriend and I had decided that when we both went to college in a couple weeks that we would break up. It was the only sensible thing to do since we were going to different schools and being tied to one another and trying to maintain the relationship was going to be too much work at a time of tremendous change in our lives.

But, as sensible as that notion was, I could not bear to just give up on our relationship. So I put my feelings out there and prepared for rejection when she wanted to "stick to the plan". And that's when I found out that she felt the same way. So we decided to stick together no matter what.

A week from today will be our 10th wedding anniversary.

That act of risk, and the realization that had I not taken it that I would have lost this amazing woman who has become the center around which I've built my life, has colored my philosophy tremendously. In a nutshell I firmly believe that it is those things that we don't do that we will live to regret the most.

 

[Henry]

For me it was the realization that I didn't want all the things I thought I wanted.

In high school we were all driven to want the biggest and best out of life. I had friends who wanted to be doctors, lawyers, scientists, etc. I wanted to be an engineer and do huge things.

I met my wife while in college and realized that all the large things in life mean nothing without someone to share it with. I also found that I wanted a closer, small-town relationship with my community - I wanted roots more than big things. In short, I discovered I wanted to be like my parents, more than someone who went out and made the big bucks and did grandiose things.

I quit chemistry, took up computer science, and made a 180 degree change in my life and the way I interacted with people.

 

[alsih2o]

My 28 year old Missouri Foxtrotter was a great horse. Loyal, strong 16 hands high and built like a tank. We were nearly fearless together, he would go wherever I told him because we trusted each other completely.

One early morning somehting strtled our horses and they went through a fence. They ran down our nearly mile long driveway to the road where he was struck by a truck.

His back leg was broken in at least 3 places and he was in pain and limped to me for help. He kept pressing his face into my chest.

I had to put him down. I stepped back and shot him in the head. Cross between the eyes and the ears.

The sound he made when he hit the ground, falling immediately. The massive amount of blood. Massive. Blood ran for over 100 feet through the gravel and dirt.

I had to do it. There was no saving him. It was my responsibility.

Killing one of my best friends as the sun rose in a pale orange way.

I am proud of myself for my strength in the face of such a scene and filled with more than a little self loathing for it as well.

It has stayed with me hard. I cannot say I think about it every day, but most days I do.

 

[freebfrost]

Embracing Taoism.

I was going through some tough times a few years ago - hated my job, my father had just died, money problems - the usual bad stuff.

Anyways, a Buddhist friend of mine and I were talking about spirituality, and I was intrigued enough by her beliefs that I started looking into them. I quickly found they were not for me, but came across a web page about Taoists, which I found totally captivating. So, I started learning more about their beliefs.

Now, just a few years later, I no longer seem plagued by problems - even those that come up in daily life just fix themselves.

It truly is world-changing when you finally are at peace with yourself and the world.