My response.

They say that words can cut deeper and hurt much more than physical pain.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Physical wounds heal and our body adapts to the pain.

Wounds of the heart and mind are a whole different story.

Over the weekend some things were said about me and my family. I would be lying if I said I wasn't affected by the judgmental, thoughtless and rude opinions and remarks said.

I reacted.

I hate that I reacted, but I am human. I was angry, I cried and let my thoughts go down a path of self doubt.

What if those opinions of me were true?

Going down that path believing what was said about me would eat at me. As do most negative thoughts. They eat at you bit by bit. They consume you and before you know it that negativity has won the battle--gotten the best of you.

Or I could say NO.

No I will not let one opinion get the best of me. I will not hold harsh feelings towards that person. I will move forward and onward because there is something to be learned. There is room for me to grow, stretch, become humbled and become better.

Growing up my dad had the book, Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl.

He would always talk about Dr. Frankl, a Jewish holocaust survivor.

He would tell me how this man was in the worst of circumstances and how his attitude and reaction essentially saved his life.

My dad has read me this quote many times over the years and it has stayed with me time and time again.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

~ Viktor E. Frankl ~

Lessons learned:

There are dumb people sometimes.

I choose how to respond.

The golden rule is so powerful. Treat others as you would want to be treated.

and now...forward and onward.