With reading timing is everything

Have you ever been reading something and realized it has had an unexpected impact?  It is not that what you are reading is so amazingly written you can't help it, but the timing in which you read it.  The first case for me has been reading When All Hell Breaks Loose by Cody Lundin. I started this book when things started to get bad with Grandpa Bill back at the end of May.  I found that the first quarter or so of the book reads like a self help book. It really goes into the psychology of survival and the mind set needed to get through. As I read the section titled " The creative power of the words I am", I found my self completely immersed in what the author was saying. If you use the words "I am" whatever you say after ,both negative and positive, becomes accepted into your reality.  I know Mr. Lundin is working on building the positive can do of the reader so the reader can see that just having stuff to survive may not be enough.  I found myself having a more personal meaning to the words on the page. This two and a half page section helped me through some tough times.  I now find myself watching what I say after the words " I am". I try to keep that positive and up beat as much as I can. Once we got the word Gramps was not going to make it I found myself trying to grasp for something. I remember telling myself when it all began " I am going to hurt", " I am going to be sad", " I am going to accept it will be hard", I am going to get through it", " I am going to be okay", and I am going to work to make him proud".  Now this may seem a little self absorbed but it truly helped me.

My second example came just yesterday. I have been stressed about refinancing my home, getting through work, money, and all of life's little things. Then I read and article in American Handgunner titled " On Bein' Thankful" by John Connor.  I know you might be thinking here comes the gun rant, but this article was really quite good. In this article he writes about a medical issue and issues he has and is dealing with. He does not go into detail of what it is but he says his wife as she helps him out and feels the scars on his body she can only say " oh, thank God, John Just thank God".  I can only imagine what they had gone through to make them so grateful for his current state. He also writes in this article of a young Army vet who gave him assistance after he had car problems. The young man was missing both his legs at the knee. He lost them in an IED blast. The young man said he was lucky because the doctors saved his leg from the knee up.  This made me realize how lucky I am. I have my health, a loving wife, a good job, a nice house, and a great family, born in and married in.

So my final though tonight is perhaps survival and life in general really is 90% psychological. If you think positive and stay thankful you can truly live the dream.  I am lucky, I am happy, and I am going to do good things.