I have always been a believer that you make your own luck and you pick your own destiny. Life is about the choices you make and the paths you choose. Its about the people you interact with and how you decide to embrace the unknown. Its about making mistakes and re orientating oneself.
Personally, I am a rather black and white person. Grey is just not in my vocabulary. Find your self on the wrong path, then take a different direction. When you are black and white, this is a lot easier to do than those that look through 50 shades of Grey. When I flip a coin, it lands on head or tails. But for some others, it rolls on its edge, ending in a tizzy of spin.
Emotions are grey. Like a big dirty cloud hovering in the sky blocking out the sun, emotions can cloud one’s judgement. Irrational decisions and behaviors are often caused by a heightened level of emotions. Love and hurt can drive us crazy and for some it means the end. For others love means life and gives them the strength to carry on.
I like being black and white. I didn’t set out to be that way, but I like it. However, there is one subject that throws so much grey into my life its not even funny. I have this fear, this panic, even before I mention the word I can feel my chest getting tight. Death. The only path that has been pre-defined for us is death and it’s the one thing I cannot deal with. It is destiny. Its out of our control.
In fairness I have not had to deal with death. I am in my 40s, so I consider myself very lucky to have not lost anyone close to me. VERY VERY LUCKY. And when death does cross the path of someone I love, I really don’t know how I will cope.
Today I was thinking about some amazing people I know or have encountered. I think these people are amazing because they have the ability to deal with the grey in a way I never thought possible. The story of one I will share with you now.
This person I want to tell you about I have known for a long time. He is extremely smart and manages to do grey and black and white at the same time. And a whopping amount of grey. Married, both he and his wife had fantastic careers and put having children on hold for their jobs. However, his wife, only in her 30's got alzheimer's. Within a few years the woman he loved so dearly no longer recognized him, yet he put is life on hold to nurse and care for her. I remember the conversations we had, the grief he felt, the regrets he had. He went through such grief, such loss, such feelings of loneliness.
Thankfully this man I know met a new woman. Everyone was so happy for him. It was not long before we were at a moving in party to welcome her to his home. Soon she was pregnant with their first child, and then her second. His life was complete again. This was all rather recent. The eldest would be 3 and a half now, the youngest is only and a half. A girl and a boy.
Unfortunately, the mother got post-natal depression and early this year they received a diagnosis of autism for their eldest. I said earlier that love and hurt for some can be the end and this is the reason I said that. The mother took the life of her daughter and had intended on taking her own too.
Now my friend, who is in his 50’s has lost his first love, his first child and his second love is detained in a mental hospital. He has become a single parent and his son has lost his only sister.
What I have told you is very sad and a horrible tragedy, but I have still not told you why I think this man has an amazing ability to deal with grey. The compassion he is showing towards his child’s mother is like nothing I have ever seen before. He completely gets that she was unwell, and he wants his son to grow up with his mother and his father. He visits her often and brings the child too.
What happened is grey, I don’t do grey. I would not be able to deal with my grief and then also forgive and show passion.
When I set out to do this post I started in one direction. Buts its grey right? So, it ended up taking a different direction. Its not the normal type of post by me. But life is short, and things are not always black and white. There are amazing people all around us and we often don’t take the time to show them we care. I have my children, my husband and our health, something I take for granted most of the time. Until I remember the amazing people I know.
There is an amazing couple here on Steemit, and I don’t want to get into their story because it is their story and they are here sharing it with us. 
So, to thank you both I have stepped way out of my comfort zone and written this post. Look it contains no data :-) I will be sending you on the pay-out and topping it up so you can have dinner for two, if it makes more it will be two dinners for two. I hope you guys enjoy it. Thank you for sharing your life and story with us.
Xxx
Paula
PS. Shout out to my Hubby. I know he is not reading this cos he doesn't do Steemit but seems we are on the grey and touchy feelie stuff, me loves ya and you are amazing too. xx