What is the defining moment of your life so far?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do't have one

Be strong, one day you will learn to spell and conquer grammar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The days I was accepted into the college I attended. If I hadn't gotten in there, I would have gone to my very poor state school and probably would have just skated through it. My U. opened up a lot of doors for me, and widened my perspective on the world. I also felt brave by branching out and going to school out of state. It gave me a confidence boost, which led to bigger & better things.

SAME! I could have written this.

[Anonymous]

Choosing to drop out of college and go inpatient for my eating disorder. Everything great happened after that.

[Anonymous]

The day I found out I won a Rotary Foundation scholarship that sent me to France for a year all expenses paid and then some. I was the first in my family to attend college. This was a monumental achievement and substantially changed the course of my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Choosing to drop out of college and go inpatient for my eating disorder. Everything great happened after that.

Awesome.

[Anonymous]

Getting laid off from a job I loved. The company shut down. I thought I would never get back on my feet. Being unemployed made my explore my life in a whole new light. Made me take other risks and bold moves. Tested my strength and the strength of my marriage.

I went back to school, with toddlers at home, for a whole new direction. Left an exciting and unique field in favor of a common helping profession. Moved hundreds of miles from home for dh to advance his career. Most terrifying thing ever. All those transition years. But we now couldn't be happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember the first time I laughed, like really really laughed and felt joy, after the sudden death of our middle child. I didn't think I would ever feel joy again and I remember very specifically sitting on my porch and laughing at something my girlfriend was gossiping about on the phone. It was such a catty snarky convo and it just cracked me up. I realized at that moment I might be ok. Not the same, but maybe, just maybe I would be ok. Maybe I wouldn't;t have to fake every single smile for the rest of my life just for my kids sake. Maybe I would have moments of joy, laughter, friendship, and love again. Just maybe. That happened 7 years ago and I even remember the way the wind smelled on my porch that afternoon. Its such a distinct memory and it really did define my life…my recovery life.

Thank you for sharing this! I am so sorry for your loss, but happy to hear that you are experiencing joy in your life once again.

From a mother who has a very sick child with cancer

[Anonymous]

My moms death

[Anonymous]

The day I had a nervous breakdown, called my Mom at 5PM on a Wednesday night in January to come get me (I'm from Pittsburgh, and was going to school in NJ...so not exactly close) and then dropped out of my Ivy League school the next day. I spent half a semester at home + a summer of working, then transferred to a smaller liberal arts college closer to home where I THRIVED. It's where I should have been all along - I get sad thinking about the year and half semester I spent miserable at the first school, thinking that I'd be letting myself and my family down if I didn't stay. The trajectory of my life would have been very, very different had I stayed.

[Anonymous]

Losing my baby at 16 weeks and my mom's death.

[Anonymous]

That day me parents kicked me out of the house at age 16.

[Anonymous]

Getting my layoff notice the week of my 50th birthday. Things were just starting to bend in a good direction and the 5 years since have sucked in a number of ways. Hoping for a new defining moment.

[Anonymous]

Moving in with my parents. I was 8

[JenniferKimura]

The day when my mother hugged me and cried before my marriage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The day I met my adopted daughter.

Ditto.