Wednesday, February 3, 2010

THE HARDEST THING


Okay... here we go. Got a  question for you. What is the hardest thing you have ever had to do? 

You tell me yours and I will tell you mine.

24 comments:

  1. I don't know. I mean, the hardest thing that I would ever have to do, I didn't actually go through with, and I suppose that at some point I will have to start all over again.

    Compared to that, nothing else really comes to mind.

    I've had other hard things to deal with, like my dad died and other people died and so forth, but it wasn't like there was anything for me to do about it, it just happened.

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  2. The hardest thing I ever had to do is too long a story for a comment. You'll have to wait for the post. I've been working on it. Not only was it hard to do, but it's hard to frame the story properly. Many scrapped attempts. The story deserves better than I have so far been able to give it.

    You'll know it when you see it.

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  3. i'm not sure i can begin to answer this properly. moving back to the US in the wake of what felt like massive failure was pretty hard. was it the hardest? i'm not sure. i'd have to think.

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  4. throwing out an old pair of faded levis.

    it took me years to get them just right then the crotch disintegrated.

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  5. What immediately comes to mind is the euthanizing of pets, but that was always tempered by my knowing that I was ending their pain and suffering. Dealing with the details surrounding my father's death - funeral planning, etc. - was rough, but I think what you may be getting at is something involving choice, so that sort of thing may not really count in this discussion. Taking care of your parents final disposition isn't really a choice, is it?

    With 20/20 hindsight, I could give you a couple of instances wherein I kicked an addiction or made similar choice concerning my life and those I was close to at the time. But, while those things were happening, it was just what needed to be done. I didn't really sit down and decide to go one way or another.

    Good question, though.

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  6. The hardest thing was to look my ex in the eye and say "I'm done". Truly. Ugh.

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  7. BTW, the song that comes to me with that line - the hardest thing - is a John Denver song ' it's by far the hardest thing I've ever done, to be so in love with you and so alone'

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  8. laughing-- At the time it seemed like a simple enough question. Now I see that it is sort of a stumper.

    Death does just happen. But I think it can be part of the hardest thing you have to do, if it requires something of you... providing physical care, making up and getting peace between you and the person dying, etc. It depends.

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  9. Cricket-- I am going to be waiting for that post. I understand how difficult writing it can be. I too have started mine over and over.

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  10. lime-- Your Trini stories always fascinate me. I am sorry it did not work out for you. If it helps, I think from what I have read that you did an awful lot of good there.

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  11. Suldog--The comment box is a small space to try to tackle a larger question. I just did not see it as that big of a question when I put it up there. And I can see it's not something that just pops out of all people's heads without pondering. It does mine.

    Putting a pet down is a heartbreaker, even when you know it is the best for them.

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  12. Pamela-- Aaahhh... I have been there.
    Your song words are a perfect match for that difficult task.

    John Denver keeps popping up in my life lately.
    Strange.

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  13. billy pilgrim-- I used to wear my levis until they had more patches than denim. The patches always seemed to begin between my legs on the inner thighs... work their way up to my crotch and then back and up my butt. I always hated throwing them away once they got that comfy. But I drew the line when I was starting to patch the patches.

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  14. I'm not sure. Maybe hold my daughter down while she got a spinal tap when she had meningitis when she was 5. She kept yelling, "Make them stop hurting me" Ugh. It still kills me to think about it.

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  15. Churlita-- Interesting. I had to do the same thing with Bear, but she was 16. It still killed me to do it, but with one that little... oh my. That would be terrible.

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  16. My hardest thing still hurts me to think about. I'm glad I did it, mostly, but it had repercussions that I sometimes think will never pass.

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  17. laura b.-- Yikes! I'm sorry to dredge up unhappy things. I too have things that haunt me.

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  18. Peggy-- Maybe that is the best attitude!

    I find myself contemplating the wisdom of choosing this question. Obviously, I did not think it through!

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  19. I guess it was the time I had to save myself on my birthday about eight years ago being as I had to transfer from one disabled boat trying to help me get my disabled boat back to port.

    I'm not getting into the story here as I've posted about it in the past. But they wasn't small boats, mine was a thirty-two footer and they came together in a windy surf so I had to get back onto my boat to start it to get away from what was now the more disabled boat.

    Before trying to just jump on my boat I pushed them apart a bit and then I tried to get on it and almost didn't make it, it took all I had to pull myself onto the bow deck and I didn't think I was going to make it.

    Anyway, before I could get to the cabin and get the engine started they came together again and I knocked out about 16 feet of windows on his starboard side.

    But then I was able to back away from him a ways and he got his back up engine started and was able to pull both of us back into the marina.

    My boat had blown an exhaust cooling hose so I could only run it for a few minutes at a time. Anyway, I was two hours late for my birthday party at the beer church and everyone wuz wondering where in the hell I wuz cuz I'm a stickler about being on time.

    Well, I wuz almost dead is what I wuz. But it went well with a few beers and some birthday cake.

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  20. I suppose the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and continue to struggle with, is to get over my selfishness. I suppose it's the hardest thing because it's pretty much continual and it's been pretty painful at times. I've had some moments that were far more difficult to fight through at the time, but they've faded away...almost.

    Good question!

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  21. Billy B.-- Wow is right! That must have been a heck of a scare! Not to mention exhausting. Gald you made it back to the beer chruch alright.

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  22. KenV-- I think it is always hard to work on our personal demons... and to some(like me)change is very trying too. Keep up the struggle!

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