Why. 
Why do I try. 
Why do I get up everyday and exercise. 
Why do I eat well, why do I put on clothes that are well put together. 
Why do I take my kids to all their appointments and school times, and make sure they are properly put together. 
Why do I make sure my dogs are fed. Why do I clean obsessively to make sure my spouse has the things he needs. 
Why do I go and meet siblings I hardly know of, why do I say goodbye to a father who really didn't know me? 
No. This isn't about self pity. It isn't about getting well wishes, or even surprise from readers. No, this is about something else entirely. Can you think of why you make dinner for your family? Why you send a thank you note? 

You can say, "it's because I love them," or you can say, "it's because I have to, because I'm a mom or a sibling" or whatever it may be. Is that the true reason? 

Let's dig deeper. If none of those things got done, if you didn't get your children from school, if you didn't make dinner, of you didn't exercise, what would happen. What are the consequences? Children get upset. Kids are hungry. Heart disease. These are good reasons, but not good enough. 

Let's look at a different angle. What do you feel when you get something done? Think about it, last time you accomplished something, like making a dinner that everyone talked about, or dressing up and getting compliments, or saying goodbye to a father who hardly knew the real you. What was that feeling? 

Peace. Quiet. Stillness. Less stress. Less worry. You knew all was right in this world, even for that moment in time. 

That my dear friends, that is why I try. When all is right in this world, I have a knowledge that comes from that peace. That knowledge that just for a moment in time, everything is as it should be. My family is loved and I am as well. Without that inner peace, chaos reins. Storms crash and adrenaline spikes within our minds. Nothing seems like it can be well. Nothing is as it should be. Horrible consequences can take hold, even if it's only within our mind. Ruining our day, ruining our week, and hurting our souls. 

Peace, tranquility, love...those are the things I strive for. Those are the things I try for. It doesn't always go my way, and I can accept that, even if it takes me a while to do so. However, I know that when I try, when I put one foot in front of the other, I can make a difference. I can make a change. I can become Me.