If Not For You, Then Someone Else

Ashley
Jan 16, 2017
3 min read

For a long time we sat there, engrossed in conversation while Kaly waited patiently as I braided her hair. “How do you deal with built up emotions?” she asked. “Talking I suppose. Talking always helps.” I replied. With a heavy sigh she began to express how writing her thoughts and feelings in a journal were helping her better understand conflict resolution and predicting positive outcomes. I couldn’t help but feel as though my venture into the “blog life” was helping me deal with suppressed emotions and inner conflicts within myself. In its advanced form, written expression is an effective way for we as humans to express ourselves in an attempt to heal, a means of understanding, educating or even providing a legacy for our future self. Either way, Kaly helped me realize the true power and reason to my writing; utilizing my free expression has helped me find ways to cope with loss, understand the direction I need to take in life and to share my most valuable and memorable moments with whomever might be listening.

You can only imagine what life is like in a household of 8 females and 2 males… If not, let me just tell you… it’s chaotic! Hormones people… hormones everywhere! Some of the girls are a little more “emotive” than the others but it is safe to say that they are all bat shit crazy! If you’re reading this girls, I love you, but it’s like the

exorcist in there. Not saying I’m completely innocent but teenagers have the hardest time expressing themselves without ripping someones face off. So the fact that Kaly has recognized a better way to express her frustrations and thoughts, she has began to see the positive changes and reactions that come with her new-found outlet.

I don’t know how many times I tried to tell these girls, ” You catch more bee’s with honey than vinegar, people aren’t listening to you if you’re screaming, snapping and talking down.” Yet they fail to realize that when you approach a situation with hostility and a negative demeanor you’ll get the same reaction in return. Has your mom ever told you, “When you have a daughter, I hope she is ten times worse than you!”? I am going to simply say, with the utmost sarcasm…. thanks mom! Since I have added 5 daughters to my family, aren’t I entitled to some kind of a group discount?? Each of my girls are unique in their own and I am slowly learning the best ways help them cope with their emotions. I have to be honest though, there is nothing in life that could prepare you for 7 daughters.. 5 of them teens. Patience is

truly a virtue but i won’t lie, i find myself constantly wanting to douse them in holy water and send them to a private school.

I love every day of my life, It is truly a blessing but here is to never having any toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner or razors, the frequent shopper discount at the wine store, an endless supply of hormones, never ending arguments, many emotional nights and to never getting more than a few hours of sleep in a day. As always the best has yet to come but the ones I feel most sympathy for is dad and the little brother; there is light, however, being brought up by 8 amazing and powerful women, Letari turned out to be an amazing man so I have absolute faith that Maikel is going to be alright. After all, he has a great man to look up to, one who loves him with everything he has and is the man he most wants to be when he grows up.

“To my young friends out there: Life can be great, but not when you can’t see it. So, open your eyes to life: to see it in the vivid colors that God gave us as a precious gift to His children, to enjoy life to the fullest, and to make it count. Say yes to your life.”

-Nancy Reagan