Do you own your life?

I had an interesting conversation with a fellow dancer after my dance practice tonight.

AK, who is usually bubbly and all over the dance floor was a little less energetic than usual, so I asked her if she had had a bad day. "I'll be alright," she said but something in her sullen tone told me the opposite so I offered her a big hug and suggested we go for coffee and catch up, since we haven't had the chance to do so since early summer. Girl talk time, ya know!

I think that the moka java AK ordered was just the right thing to pick up her spirits and of course, sharing it with a good friend was even better.

Seems that she is constantly harassed by her ex-boyfriend who tires to "infiltrate" her life as often as he can though they haven't been together for years.

"What is his preoccupation? Can't he move on?" she sighed heavily to me.

Such a pitiful existence. Seems that he blames her for anything that doesn't go right in his life and does so with inconsistent streams of ridiculous accusations.

"Nope," as she explained, "he just won't let go ... 'cause letting go would mean having to take responsibility of his own actions and their consequences. It would mean having to get his own life."

This led into an interesting philosophical discussion about "owning one's life" which is sorta like this:

Some folks "do". Others blame.

Most people don't understand this simple concept of "owning one's life" (take for example, AK's ex) and those who do, find their lives amazingly enriched because this always inevitably results in some rewarding soul searching.

Life is about choices. We can choose to sit back and "let" things happen or choose to go out and and "make" things happen. When faced with difficulties, do you see obstacles or do you see challenges? Yes, back to the old "glass half-full or glass half-empty" discussion.

I choose to see a glass that I can fill with whatever I'd like to drink as often as I'd like. And it's a glass that I'm very happy to own :-)