[ex1z7]

Something my father said to me when I was younger was ..

"Everyday you wake up. Starts as a good day. Everyday you fall asleep still breathing. Ended as a good day. Everything in between, deal with how you see fit."

And last summer when I was going through a really difficult part in my life, my uncle whom I was living with for a brief period, said something I'll never forget.

"Do whatever you have to do, to take the edge off. If that means going to bed with a bottle of Jack, theres a bottle under the cabinet. If you need to smoke a few joints, theres papers over there. Whatever you have to do, to take the edge off, you have to do, because you can't think straight when you're so upset. Take it a day at a time, deal with it the best way you know how."

You can simplify it a little, or switch it around to suit any other situation, but the message holds true in every difficult situation I've helped friends through, or family..

When it comes to really difficult times, everyone deals with things differently - some people can mourn by going into the bush with a family member or two, or a friend or two, and get drunk around a camp fire and just let everything out. Some deal with things through prayer and helping others. Shutting down is necessary sometimes, and it's perfectly alright to do so when you need to.

That being said, again I appreciate everything you guys have said, and don't worry - everything will end up being fine in the end, I just wanted to share some words that have helped me through hard times with the rest of you, who may be sharing similar situations or so..

I should go purchase a focuscanada.net sticker for my car now, I feel a little more at home here then I did previously.