I Promised Myself I Wouldn't Cry

  Heartbreak.  We all suffer through it at some point and in some form(s) in our lives.  For some of us it's the death of someone close to you.  For others it's a dream you had that may not be coming true the moment you wanted it to.  For me it's arrived the last few months in the form of love lost.
  Now this isn't going to turn into some therapy session (and if it does just smack me through your computers or future phones).  I refuse to ask for pity like I have so often in the past.  But Heartbreak, this feeling of pain from deep within our souls, doesn't just appear.  In fact, nothing does.  We are presented with all of our obstacles in life to learn something.  Whether you believe in God, Buddha, Allah or Lady GaGa, there is a solid truth in the purpose of life and that is to learn.
  Every day is chock full of lessons.  We must be open to the idea, however trying, that these lessons are present for a reason.  I think there's a common belief that once you get to a certain age you are an adult and, thus, have less to learn.  But there is always more to gain from life.  I've found that in the last few months the more self-aware you are, the stronger you grow as a person.  There is a lot to be learned from others, but there is even more to learn from ourselves.  Fighting the obstacles in our lives will give you a serious sense of accomplishment and empowerment.  It's easy to break down, mope around and feel bad for yourself.  A good cry never hurt anyone and a wise teacher once told me that crying is actually just a release of tension and nothing more.  So cry away, just don't wallow in your misery.  It accomplishes nothing for those around you and causes emotional harm to yourself.
  This year the first love of my life, whom I was with for four years, fell in love once again.  The initial pain hits you when you hear this.  Ideas flow through your head like "he's better than me" or "she's moved on and doesn't care about me anymore" or "they have lots of crazy sex with each other now."  But this is all a world you've created in your head.  Emotional pain or Heartbreak is all a product of your brain chatter.  These messages are then sent down to the rest of your body and it shuts down.  It tenses up.  It suffers.
  It's at moments like these when we must remind ourselves to become pillars of strength.  Say to yourself "Not this time.  This time I won't let the obstacle overcome me."  Lift your chest up, breathe, and put everything into perspective.  Life is beautiful if you let it be.  Only you can decide to be happy or not.   As I'm getting older and wiser George Harrison is slowly becoming my favorite Beatle.  His beautiful album "All Things Must Pass" had it right.  All things do pass and all of our worries relinquish into dust.  It is important to see the value in living presently in your current life.  Don't be upset by the cards you've been dealt.  Be happy that you have the cards at all.