Exactly what is a pivotal event?
In my world, these events are the ones that shape our lives. They are the crossroads, the turning points. Some pivotal events may be more momentous than others, but all are life-altering in some (or many) basic ways.
The first of these events in my life occurred when I was just shy of 5 years old. It was then that my beloved father committed suicide. It would not be until years later that I would find out that he had taken his own life (a 4-year-old has little concept of death, let alone suicide), but the loss of my father was probably the single most life-altering event of my existence. It forced me to grow up way too fast, but it probably opened up doors that would never have been opened for me under other circumstances. My mother diligently saved the money from Social Security and his Veterans Benefits despite having to live like a pauper for most of her life. It was because of this that I was able to go to college and medical school.
The loss of a loved one is certainly one of the pivotal events in one's life, but there are many others: a major move, college, having children, job changes, career decisions, even finding out fundamental things about those we love that change our basic beliefs. I plan to blog about all of these things and would love to hear about YOUR pivotal events and suggestions for future posts.
In my world, these events are the ones that shape our lives. They are the crossroads, the turning points. Some pivotal events may be more momentous than others, but all are life-altering in some (or many) basic ways.
The first of these events in my life occurred when I was just shy of 5 years old. It was then that my beloved father committed suicide. It would not be until years later that I would find out that he had taken his own life (a 4-year-old has little concept of death, let alone suicide), but the loss of my father was probably the single most life-altering event of my existence. It forced me to grow up way too fast, but it probably opened up doors that would never have been opened for me under other circumstances. My mother diligently saved the money from Social Security and his Veterans Benefits despite having to live like a pauper for most of her life. It was because of this that I was able to go to college and medical school.
The loss of a loved one is certainly one of the pivotal events in one's life, but there are many others: a major move, college, having children, job changes, career decisions, even finding out fundamental things about those we love that change our basic beliefs. I plan to blog about all of these things and would love to hear about YOUR pivotal events and suggestions for future posts.
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Wow, that was fun and cathartic. Hope others will come and join me in this discussion!
ReplyDeleteI've thought a lot about these types of events and hope to blog about them myself one day soon. In my opinion, it is not the event that defines you, but how you handle it/react to it. Unfortunately many people experience a tragedy and go on to lead tragic lives - instead of using it as a chance to learn/grow/evolve. You seem to have a positive outlook, keep up with the writing!
ReplyDeleteI agree that our reaction to these experiences are key. I do try to keep a positive outlook. It has seen me through many misfortunes along the way! LOL. I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading about your experiences!
ReplyDeleteI want to thank Robin for helping me with the header graphic sizing. You are a peach Robin!
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