When a Man Loves A Woman

I am watching one of my favorite all time movies - When a Man Loves a Woman. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia do a great job. There is a great sound track to the movie, good acting, great memorable lines and many other things to love. Yet, the story line is unbelievable to me how realistic it seems.

Meg Ryan is an acholohic. Andy Garcia is a loving, devoted and endearing spouse. He is trying to give her everything, be her everything and love her past her own issues. He is doing just what a good husband should - except it is not enough.

I love the struggle of Meg Ryan having to learn to accept herself. She has to learn to live on her own and to be the person she needs to be for herself so that she can be a better person, teacher, mother, friend and wife.

I have never struggled with acholism directly; but have the seen the effects of it on people I love dearly. I don't know the parts about that are accurate enough for the pain that this disease can cause families.

Yet, I do know first hand that I am only a better person when I am accepting who I am(flaws and all). When I hide the struggles I have or pretend they do not exist the ugly monster of self-loathing will appear. Even when I try to look at myself thru the eyes of someone else, I can be very disappointed. Even more, when someone you love tries to tell you it is all okay in love without understanding the validation of why you are feeling the way you are - it hurts too.

I struggle but I have found a few things that work for me when this feeling overtakes me:
1. Knowing the God sees the struggle, knows any pain and already has a rememdy for me is comforting.
2. Reminding myself that every single imperfection is what has made me be who I am. When I think of the fact that because of who I am - I get to call certain people my family and friends it makes me smile. Without the imperfections some of those relationships would have never been found.
3. A glass of soda and some chips also work well in this situation. If it is an emergency, well Cherry cheesecake or butter cream frosting can always do the trick - :-)

Seriously though, I just love a movie that makes me feel connected and understanding. I cry, I smile, and I hope for the characters to reconcile their differences. It is a great love story.

Challenge ONE - Question 29

"If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it"

First question- I honestly have no idea

Second question - I guess it would depend on the person and what the advice was.

Third question - I would HOPE that if it was sound advice from a valued source I would listen to it.

I guess I did not really answer this question, but it was the best that I could do :-)