The other week was the first of 2017’s emotional rollercoaster weeks for me. A lot of ups and downs in one week, that by week’s end I was in a funk that I tried (not all too successfully) to shake off and mask with a smile and laughter. I was once again reminded of how lucky I am to live the life I do. I’m lucky to have been given a solid upbringing by my parents, which was fostered by 13 years of good ol’ Catholic school. However, because of that I forget that this is not the case for everyone.

Behind every smile is a story. We automatically think that a person with a euthymic affect has a pretty put together life. Not always the case. Once you pull down the layers, you find so much more than just that smile, and like it or not, what you find may not always be pretty. Which in turn causes me to do some hard self-evaluations. My issues and problems seem so trivial and not worth the belly-aching I often times give it. Note to self: count your lucky stars.