I have had in my life several of what I like to call “Personal Apocalypse”.
Forget fiery angels with imposing, huge wings, so terrifying to see and so scary to face, with roaring voices and flaming swords pushing me toward the hell’s entrance...
I already have something like that, thank you.....my mini hells ...
When I have to face something I perceive as stressful, difficult, impossible, hideous I go back to my Personal Apocalypse List and my present obstacles and difficulties get immediately a different meaning.
I think that each of us adopt the same modus operandi.
But the PA that I use the most to lift my sense of uneasiness, or inability or dumbness is with no doubt the one shaped by the period of my divorce, two years ago.
At that time I was working long hours in a stressful job, trying to sell my house within 3 months or I would have been forced to go living somewhere else with no furniture.
At the same time I was having seven garage sales while coordinating with my real estate agents all the various home visits. I had to manage to keep my dog in his crate when I was at work calling my friends at the last minute because of unexpected visits and sometimes, if I was lucky to have one visit during my lunch break, I would drive one hour back and forth from my office to the house to personally put him in his crate.
Also, I had to keep my house spotless like a China dish before going to work each day so that it was always ready for the above visits. At that time I also had a cat and a guinea pig. Both litters and cage needed to be changed each morning so they wouldn’t have stunk. People hate houses with animal odor. I agree.
On top of this during the week ends my daughter and I had to get ready to leave the house at any given minute, always because of potential buyers visits.
During the process, I had to face several structural building problems that had to be fixed in order to have the house sold: I had to redo one quarter of the foundations and seal a leak in the swimming pool. The leak caused me the astronomical water bill of 750 dollars.
No kidding. Yes, they reimbursed me the money when I gave them proof I fixed the leak. Two inspectors had to come to check the situation before granting me the reimbursement.
My most delicate job was taking care of my daughter’s personal crisis toward the divorce and her father’s behavior without ever, ever cracking in front of her.
I used to cry only when she was deeply asleep.
Only then I would allow myself the tears.
The cherry on top have been the loss of my mother-in-law (beloved by me and my daughter), two car accidents (one with a 18-wheel truck that ripped off completely my car’s passenger side forcing me to rent a car for 10 days and paying for that too) and getting fired just two days before moving in this apartment with the risk that they could have double check my work situation and would refuse me the rent.
Oh, and well, I had to deal my broken heart too.
So now my mantra is: I survived that apocalypse, I can survive everything.
This mantra works pretty good, most of the time......
And you? Do you have a Personal Apocalypse in your life or you have one that is happening right now?
