Life changing event

[Kazz]

Can I ask whats the most life changing/inspiring/different thing you have ever done in your life or what would you like to do?

[farthing]

Two things have had a major effect on my life.
The first one was watching my dad die from cancer. I felt he died disappointed in life, not achieving things he could have and not having particularly happy marriage. He was only 52 when he died. I decided after this that I wanted to do something positive with my life and hopefully, when the time came, I would die satisfied with my life. I am not a natutral risk taker, but have been much more willing to take risks since then, otherwise I would never have bought the second thing to affect my life.
The second thing, was buying the croft and gradually moving into becoming a sanctuary. I have always dreamed of helping animals and, being lucky enough to have Mike, who feels the same way, I have managed to do that.

[dandysmom]

Well, being dumped in my early thirties in what I thought was a reasonably happy relationship with some minor problems. Left me with a distrust of relationships ever since.
Then, losing my job at the company where I'd worked for 39 years and having to look for a new job at 59 when it was sold. Resumes, interviews, etc., and ageism is still around! Was reasonably happy in new job till the doctors rota was rescheduled so the very difficult one to work with was there most of the time so I decided to take early retirement.. Right decision ...have been very happy with it.

[yola]

A very vicious attack of pancreatitis which nearly killed me in 1995. Thankfully I was already in hospital (200 miles fron home) due to a nasty kidney infection. If I hadn't been in there, I would probably not be here now. It changed my outlook on much stuff . . .

My 1999 ectopic pregnancy. Very traumatic as it was post-fertility drugs. I was told to not expect to conceive again.

And December 2002 . . . discovering that I was pregnant with Dominik. Probably the most wonderful 9 months of my life.

[Mags]

The birth of my premature twins and willing them to gain strength as they lay in their incubators for six weeks .......... I could cope with anything after that..

[Elaine]

Having been quite a wild child in my youth, I was quite heavily involved in drugs as a teenager and one eye opener for me was being raped by a guy posing as a drug squad officer, I was lucky enough to have alot of very good people around me to support me through that. From there I decided that I would NEVER be a victim or suffer from that victim mentallity. It took me quite some time to fully break free from the drug scene and the next big kick in the pants was when my ex-boyfriend, who I was still very very close to, hung himself. We always had a special bond and i knew all day that something very wrong had happened and that I needed to be home but couldnt explain why to my friends until I got home and heard the news. He lived directly across the street from me and it took me a long time before i could look up at his window. From that day, drugs were the past for me as was unemployment and even alcohol (for a long long time).
What have I learned from these things? Keep moving forward, deal with the blows in life and get over it, dont get bitter get better.

[Kim]

Well done Elaine, great philosophy!

My mum fell down the stairs in 1998 and suffered horrendous brain injury which she eventually died from. That changed my life really. I was incredibly close to my mum, she was my best friend. I now have that relationship with my 19 year old daughter. I now try not to get too stressed over things, to live life as I want to and to take some risks (like is too short otherwise). I now realise that I am very lucky to have such a great family & friends and lucky to have had my parents, even if they are no longer here.

[calismum]

Don't really think my lows are that bad - I wish I had chosen different paths sometimes (but don't we all!)

I do believe we learn from the knocks and agree that should always look for the positive in life.

My motto - be true to yourself.

[Natalie]

Having my eldest daughter Millie. She was a miracle to have survived, and concieved really and after a 2 year struggle to have a diagnosis of her having a genetic disorder. She has learning difficulties amongst others and she will live with me until I am not able to care for her myself.

She has taught me so much about life and about people. I have opened up my eyes to her world and the innocence that world is. I appeciate so much more in life and in people and am more tolerant to those who are not the sharpest of tools in the box.

It doesn't matter that she won't be a future prime minister or go to Uni but that she is happy and that she achieves the best to her ability.

X factor, watch this space

[Kim]

That's really lovely Natalie.

My children are both at uni and I am very proud of them, but we also have a foster lad who is academically very weak and he too will never go to uni, but his achievements are none the less remarkable, perhaps more so.