Why Life Catches You Off Guard Part II

Wiping away tears, she educates, “Life caught my family off guard, so I had to find ways to change that for my generation.”

“How did you changed it?” a voice asked.

“I plan everything,” Eve informs. “I have backup plans for all my back-up plans. I learn to cook everything I want to eat. I choose jobs close to where I live. I saved thousands on car maintenance and insurance. I eat healthy and exercise saving on doctor bills when I had no insurance . . .”

“How did you know to do all of that?” another child asked, cutting her off.

“I took the time to know myself and life while enduring the pain it shares. I know what makes me sad and happy. Strong and weak. Laugh and cry. Comfortable and scared. I know what I want and don’t want,” she explained. “But most importantly, I learn the causes of everything that life sends my way.”

“So, knowing what causes your problems, makes solving them much easier,” someone wondered out loud.

“Yes,” Eve agrees. “Knowing why, helps the need and want to create solutions while learning from life. But take the time to know yourself. Listen to yourself and when and how your body, mind, and instincts speak to you.”

“You are aware of the consequences of all of your actions, good and bad because you know yourself?” another child asked.

Damn! Almost slipped from Eve’s mouth and she said smiling, “the pain of hunger as a child allows me to think economically. I then make better decisions with my finances that will allow me to always have money to buy food and other necessities, so when life attacks, I am ready.”

“Thinking economically allows you to handle your finance better in all areas of your life?” someone asked.

“Yes,” Eve said smiling. “While hunting down sales too. I still don’t pay full price for anything.”

Everyone laughed.

“Planning ahead is like cooking your favorite meal. Getting all the ingredients together takes time and effort and that makes your meal delicious. Planning my life ahead, has its own set of ingredients.”

“What are they?” Jason asked in sign language.

“Common sense, self-control, self-sacrifice, and knowledge of myself, the people in my life and my world. Communication, innovation, understanding of life and living. Happiness, wisdom, kindness, love, hate, pain, cruelty, forgiveness, creativity, imagination, hunger etc., but not for food,” Eve explained.

“Hunger for what?” Paul asked.

“A better life than the one I know,” Eve replied.

“What does creativity do?” Nelly asked.

“With a creative mind, depending on the situation, many ideas and solutions to complex or simple circumstances awaits,” Eve enlightens smiling reflecting on her many creative solutions.

“Why imagination?” Victor asked.

“Sometimes life pushed you in a corner without hope, but with a creative imagination simple and safe solution will find you,” she shares smiling at the memories of the many ways she used her imagination to aid in her success.

“Why kindness?” Anna asked.

“Because it can open a sealed door,” Eve informs.

“What does love do?” Jason asked in sign language.

“It pulls people to you, creating opportunities and friendships that nothing else can,” Eve elaborates.

“What does hate do?” Nelly asked.

“It destroys. If you allow it,” Eve enlightened. “Because balance too is an ingredient.”

“That’s a lot to deal with along with all of life’s problems,” Victor said wheeling himself closer to the stage.

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it.