Survival

My husband and I like to watch reality shows in which people tell their stories of surviving tragedies. We've watched some crazy stories, like the couple who was on a date in the mountains and got separated from their tour group. They spent days lost in the mountains with no food, shelter or warmth. I'm always amazed at the choices people made to get themselves into the situations, not realizing their very lives were about to be challenged. I often tell my husband during these shows, If we were to be in that situation, you need to go ahead and know that I am not going to survive. I WILL die.

You see, I've never been one to fight for myself. I often do things I don't want or have time to do just so I won't make someone upset or angry. I often allow people to say things to me that I shouldn't allow. My friend often reminds me, Don't be a doormat.

Probably for the first time while watching one of those shows the other night, I told my husband, I would've gotten out of that situation! I would've done whatever it took. You see, a man had abducted a woman and her two small children in her own car. He kept them for several hours, repeatedly abusing the mother. She and her children made it out alive. I would have too...because the are two things I will fight for {albeit sometimes not very well}: my husband and my children.

I've learned over the past few years that family is worth fighting for, even when we're the very ones who make the choices that put us in situations where we'd rather give up. Family is worth spending countless, difficult hours in counseling to get to the root of a problem. Family is worth saying no to all the busyness. Family is worth carving out time to just be together. Family is worth the effort of fighting all the outside influences that would tear it apart.

I will do whatever it takes for my little family to survive and to thrive. What about you?