Defining Moments

[Dodgergirl]

We've all had them, moments in time where we changed as a person. Many of mine have been borne out if tragedy, but nonetheless, have shaped me as the person I am.
A few of my moments,

When I left my daughters Dad. He pushed me while I was holding her, a lightbulb moment when I realized I would not allow any man to ever push or hit me. I didn't want to be a repeat of my Mom.

When my received the call my fiance was shot and slipping away. I thought my life was over, but as I was driving back to LA from Colorado, I realized just how precious life is & promised myself to always let people know my true feelings, no matter what the consequences.

When I enrolled in college. I was never told as a teenager that I could go. When I graduated, I realized I had succeeded in setting the bar a bit higher for my children.

When I decided to stop life support for my nephew. I realized it was my decision and I needed to be sure. From this decision I came away with the mindset of no regrets for my actions and no second guessing my decisions.

I have some more moments which defined who I am, I might add more later. Just wondering what type of moments have defined y'all as a person.

[jjcheyenne]

2 years ago, my 3 nephews were taken away from my sister and brother in law because of a doctors mistake. They were never abused in any way. My sister had taken Chris to the doctor numerous times because after he was born, he would cry all the time and refused to eat. He was not gaining any weight. The doctor neglected the problem and said "he is just a sensitive child" and would not help in any way. Until his 9 month check up, he called CPS and they took him away by accusing my sister and brother in law for "starving him". Then they came and took Kenny and Jeff, who were very happy and healthy. To this day, we are still fighting to get them back. The courts are just beginning to realize the doctor was wrong.

This whole experance has really turned my life around. I now realize you can't trust anyone who works for Fresno County courts. They are only out for money and do not care for HONEST familys who love their children. This has really made me bitter. It has turned my life around for the worse. Maybe when we get our kids back, I will have a better outlook on life.

[terrastar]

Dodge, mine are a lot like yours.

My first marraige was a long, slow torture. I stayed with my children's father for seven years of abuse, both physical and mental. I guess it took me that long to grow a spine, but it worked. Since that day, back in '85, I will never sit back and be abused by anyone again. I am not sure it was a defining "moment", but it definitely shaped me. I learned to believe in who I am, and to stand up for my rights.

Another defining moment was my graduation from FCC, in May of last year. It took a while to acheive, but it's been one of my life's dreams to get a degree. Not sure what I'll ever use it for, but I know I did it, and I enjoyed the journey. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/happy.gif

When I lost my mom after an extended hospitalization...due to a staph infection that she caught during her stay there...I have become more and more distrusting of the medical profession. I used to be nearly a hypochondriac. Not really THAT bad, but I often went to see my Dr. with slight provocation. All that has changed now, and I am very skeptical of the profession as a whole. I KNOW there are some good Drs out there, but I look at everything with a questioning eye now, rather than trust, implicitly.

[Yosemite_Wolf]

I cant say that i have any defining moments... i reckon mine came gradually. But I do remember back in 92 when i was working for a nursing home.... i refused to come in to work nites... they were PISSED. I had then and there decided i wasnt their slave to use and abuse.
My housemate and best friend states that i used to be nice,..... now i was a *****.. he is just kidding though, cos he really does like me as I am. He is just shocked when I stand up for self (Me dad is prolly up there somewhere going.. go girl go! he was my one strong support saying i would one day make it to college)

[BGW]

I feel the same as Wolfie...my 'moments' came gradually or after much thought or a lot of trial and error. Many of the things that define me are in my journal postings.
Release Dates (http://oakhurstforums.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1791013111/m/5381023111/p/1) Sticks out the most in my mind.

I feel I am defined by the friends I have and the friend I am; the art work I create; the flowers that bloom in my yard; the things I accomplish; the laughter I cause; the gifts I have been given and the gifts I have shared, but mostly, I am defined in the smile on my Mom's face.

[Kim]

Gosh, let's see. This is gonna make everyone puke. The moment I walked into the Hook and saw Epic behind the mike. It's the most asinine thing to fall in love with your husband again when he's performing; it seems prideful and for a while I worried that I was only having a "crush on the rocker". Not that I didn't love him before that. He just looked really hot that night. But I hadn't seen him so happy in such a long time before that gig. The longer the band is together, the more confident Epic gets, and that really is impacting our marriage. Even if, God forbid, Stone River goes away, the confidence he has is cemented in.

[Dodgergirl]

I think it's great to 'fall in love all over again'. You too are sooo cute. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/wink3.gif

[Keith]

My Defining Moment came to me when I was 35, it was Christmas morning;
Dec. 25th 1991 at 10:00a.m.
From her hospital bed, my wife opened here eyes, looked around her room at all the flowers, then me, Smiled told me she loved me ...then took her last breathe..

That was the longest, loneliness drive home, Then making all the phone calls to family and friends....

Then 31 days later I buried her mother right next to her...Talk about a 1-2 punch...

I'm with DodgerGirl on this one, always hold close, those who are dear to you, Life is second by second, and truly a gift...

[Sandman]

Well, my most defining moment would be at 13 months old when I was diagnosed with JRA. That changed my life forever. As a child, I went through a lot of medical procedures and spent a lot of time in the hospital. I made the most of it. My family showed me how to have a fun time... we would race down the halls in wheelchairs and play pranks on the nurses. When I was about 7, my Grandpa died. The same year, I had a few friends in the hospital pass away from cancer. So, I had to deal with a lot of death as a child and that was pretty tough for me. I always feared that I would lose a parent or my sister.

The next thing would be my move with my family from Southern CA to Oakhurst at 10 years old. Everything was new. It was the first time I moved. I learned how to make all new friends. While at school one day, I took the leg braces off my legs and decided I wouldn't wear them anymore. At this point, I was pretty much done with medical crap and decided that I would think positive and stay healthy. I wanted to stay far away from doctors.

High School was a big one for me. I really came out of my shell and started to enjoy life and enjoy the moment. I had great friends and many great memories from this period of my life. I still talk to many of them, even though (at times) we went years without communication. I learned how to party and I learned how to be an adult, at the same time. I had a job all through High School and made my own money to pay for my car and party expenses.

I moved to Berkeley after graduating and that was another huge change. I was free from my parents. I worked for a great company with very good friends. I lived with my best friends and I fell in love for the first time. My friends were everything to me and I hung out with them at our house every day. When I went out, it was with the same group of friends. We were very close and they were like family to me. I lived there for almost 5 years. I also learned how hard it was to breakup with someone you loved.

Moving back to Oakhurst was a big defining moment. My parents were divorcing after 27 years of marriage. I learned what it was like to run my own business. My best friends from Berkeley also moved up here, but we had a falling out over a year ago. This was a very hard time for me. I realized that my best friends were not as loyal as I thought and would stab me in the back if they could gain from my loss. They were not there for me when I needed them the most. I would like to think that I choose better friends now, so this was a very valuable learning lesson for me. It's a lot harder for me to trust and I am more careful about getting too close to people. I went back in my shell for several months, before I jumped back out and started to really enjoy life again. I met a lot of great people, some who I now call my best friends. The people on these forums and my family really helped me get through this hard time in my life. I realized, at this point, that family was forever and would always be there for me... no matter what. I also got a new brother a few years ago and he is a very important part of my life now.

I feel like I may be going through my most defining moments in the next few months... moving back to Berkeley. I still have a lot of good friends and family out there. I am going to miss the friends I have up here and that is going to be rough for me, but I am very excited and eager to make this change.

Overall, I would say that every time I moved there were big changes in my life. Now, it's time for big changes....