The Answer Key

We are often charged with leftover emotions from past transgressions. When a new issue arises, those old feelings of the past insert themselves into the present. This can lead to an ugly game of tit-for-tat. The question then becomes, how do you move on when you have been betrayed or hurt by someone you care about? Forgiveness is the simple answer, but how do we do that? Forgiveness is a choice. It can not be made without making the decision to forgive and taking the steps to get you there. The first step is to start with yourself. Acknowledge the role you play in your situation. It is much easier to point out the defects, poor choices, and bad behavior of someone else, but it is more helpful to accept what you have done, and what you will do differently to avoid the same situation later. In examining your own defects, choices, and behavior you may find compassion for your loved one. Even if you do not, you will have a better understanding of yourself and the role you p...

Yet another friend is headed for divorce court. It makes me wonder, how they determined when it was over? What or who pushes the big red button for the last time? Is there a certain number of infractions, the severity of one, does the issue seem too big to fix, or are there just too many issues altogether? At what point do you decide to cut your loses and walk away? I can not understand how the same two people who loved each other so much that they were secure enough in their relationship to go before their family, friends, and whatever God they serve to declare their love and commitment to each other forever, could also one day, just decide to walk away. To find oneself at the polar opposite end of your feelings towards the same person you once planned to spend the rest of your life with is unfathomable to me. I thought the idea behind marriage was acknowledging that what you have received and are also willing to give and share with a...

It's election season! Soon there will be television ads, debates, and (especially because the state I live in is a newly deemed swing state) visits from politicians with all the works: eating our food, attending our townhalls, and posing for pictures while shaking hands and kissing babies. I love politics just as much as the next person. A discussion over laws, policies, pundants, and surrogates brings me great joy. Unfortunately, that joy is quickly turned to irritation every election year. Social media sites are flooded with ignorant, political filth and fallacies. The beauty of social media during election year is that it allows us to open up our own political debates and discussions with our friends and family near and far. I have participated in many discussions and was able to teach and learn from them. Most of them were pleasant if not enlightening, but we must be careful not to use these outlets to spread falsehoods and misinform our peers. I would love for th...

At some point in your life, you may face problems that seem larger than life itself. We can all relate to being stuck in a rut: an unrewarding job, an unforgiving figure, or an unfulfilling relationship. It can make you feel as if life has handed you a really bad hand, and having no immediate fix is exhausting and extremely overwhelming. While it may be easier to simply succumb to the pressure of your problem, it is better to take a step back and get some perspective. Every problem has one common thread -they have a purpose. It is up to you to determine what that purpose is, and how to handle it, but you can only tackle a problem once you have dissected it. Get to the root of the problem and focus on the solution instead of the problem itself. Avoid the mistake of giving power to your problems and letting them take over your life. Sure, you must address them, but make sure when you do, you are addressing them in regards to their solution. Merely dwelling on their existe...

While somewhat reluctant, (solely based on my typical taste in genre being non-romance and anti-fad reading) I decided to give the 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy a try. 50 Shades of Grey depicts a fantastically, sloppy, unconventional relationship, an intense power struggle between the couple, and their incredibly jaw-dropping, passionately, intoxicating chemistry. The source of their fears, fights, and drama is completely unimaginable and equally overwhelming for both parties. The baggage of the past is constantly present and terribly heavy, but their extraordinary physical connection provides a welcomed distraction that often unleashes steamy, blush-worthy performances throughout. There is very little left to the imagination as the author gives a vividly explicit description of their sexual exploits. (I have no idea how they're going to make the movie.) At the heart of this tale, both characters are struggling to determi...