Happy Thoughts Thread - Share Positive Memories You've Had During Your Bankruptcy

[fileda13]

Just looking at myself in the mirror, being less than two weeks since I've signed "the papers", I find myself thinking ahead at the long and arduous journey that awaits me.

One thought that is constantly on my mind is "living" over the next five years and beyond (assuming all goes "well" with my 13). I have many memories through my first 51 years of life, but as much as the future makes me nervous I also know I still have a life to live, and I intend on doing just that. I am guessing that my future memories can and will be as happy as many in my past, even if they are simpler and less extravagant.

So with all of us somewhere along the path of bankruptcy, sit back and let us know of a good memory you've had. Maybe it was a short overnight trip somewhere nearby, or maybe it was just sitting around the table with friends playing Trivial Pursuit, or maybe you had a new child or grandchild. I would love to hear these stories because it would put my mind at ease knowing "fun" still can be had.

Remember, no negativity here. Save that for another thread. This is a happy and smiling thread.

[LadyInTheRed]

A hot summer day in a pond at a music camp in the mountains. Flamenco guitar player in a rubber raft and me and 15 to 20 friends, new and old, floating along with him on our innertubes and other floation devices, holding on to each other so we all make up one big floatilla, sipping cold beverages from a big cooler on its own innertube and enjoying the music, the company and the beautiful day.

I'll be back there in about 2 weeks. Doesn't cost me a thing to be there for a week because I'm on the staff. Can't wait!

[feelingnutsy]

When I look back and remember the arduous and
incredibly stressful days---the old adage of---if it
doesn't kill you.....it'll make you stronger....so applies now.

[Pandora]

Okay, yes its a bit long, but... you asked so...

hmmm... would have to say it was just past 2 months of filing our CH. 13 and we decided to go camping in the mountains for the holiday weekend last year (our only "vacation" of 2010). We were depressed, stressed out, worried and sick to our stomachs about filing CH. 13, how would it all work out...confirmation, 341, issues, how would we pay for this or that, could we complete it, etc etc etc. All the things everyone worries about when going down this road. So we decided to get away for the weekend to try to get some sort of normalcy into our lives and stop the spinning.

Spring had sprung, so fur-babies were being born all through-out the area we were in; late one evening it was rainy and foggy when we were driving just looking for bear or whatever other wildlife that would be out when we saw something running in the middle of the road. Stopped the truck, put flashers on, and got out... and out of the fog came the cutest newborn baby fawn ever - bleating its little heart out for Momma, who had jumped over the stone wall - baby was too small to do the same. My heart melted at that moment seeing something so small and helpless - wanted to pick it up but knew better, so told hubby to go get help (i.e., ranger rick ;) ). Little fawn was all of the size of my 2 hands, just hours old, and once it ran up to me, it curled up beside the rock wall about 12 inches from the road - so I told hubby I was going to stay there and watch it, making sure nothing got it / didnt get hit.

Dont know where my head was at that moment but I stayed behind, no flashlight, nothing to protect ME from anything..to watch over the newborn. Did I mention its dark in the mountains at night?! Wellll....its even worse when you hear something crashing in the woods / mountain side behind you (again...remember foggy and rainy...) and knowing bears are everywhere....when I see movement on the other side of the road...just barely up the mountain, coming down towards where fawn and I are. Look at fawn, look behind me..look at eyes coming at me... and wonder do I pick up the fawn and run or....what...outrun a possible bear??! Wouldnt happen... so I kept watching it and it kept coming.... but would stop just short of the road. Thankfully hubby gets back (thank god!) with Rangers in tow..and I tell them something was coming closer to me before they got there, up on the other side of the mountain, just past the road. They shine their lights and lo-and-behold...its a bobcat! It apparently spooked mom / baby, mom took off over the rock wall (but was still there about 200 ft away the entire time), it heard baby bleating for mom and decided "dinner". Rangers did not want to pick up the fawn, and said to us "circle of life...national park...it happens and we dont intervene." Of course, that didnt set well with me at that moment and I was upset to the point that... I cried surprisingly hard, I think I lost all senses in that moment (even I was a bit unnerved at myself.) I guess everything just sort of let loose at that moment from the stress of everything - guess Rangers felt bad and wanted to stop my blubbering as well - so they picked up baby and put it over the wall (gloves on of course) and mom and fawn were reunited. We all stood there and watched the baby nuzzle to the mom, then mom looked right at the 5 of us...and just stood there for about 20 seconds, then snorted towards us, lowering her head and nuzzled her baby again, then they walked off together. Rangers said we werent to tell anyone they did that, but they had to admit that it was pretty amazing - as if Mom was thanking everyone.

Moral of the story and how it relates to our BK filing:

I just let everything go - all the stress..all the worry, tension, etc of our situation because in the end, we had no real control over anything in life and handed it all up to the Big Man Upstairs. Figured if He could place us in a moment in time - at the right moment, to make a decision that could save a life - no matter that it was an animal or if it were a human being - the path we go down is chosen way before we get there. Whatever happens, happens for a reason - the only control we have is how we react to what's been placed before us.

[chicagoed195]

Certainly can't rival Pandora's experience. I live a boring life.

I took a few days off last year and installed a new tile floor in my kitchen and foyer. Spent about $300 in materials vs. the quote of $2,500 from a contractor. My floor looks better than the original when I bought the house. Been so busy with life, I forgot that I could do these things myself. Best payoff of the whole time was that the phone didn't ring once in the four days (I didn't say I was fast) I spent doing this.

[Carter]

I am in a 5 yr chapter 13 with 14 months to go till the end...I look back now and remember a few months before my husband and I filed I called my mom because my husband and I weren't speaking to one another because of all the stress of getting ready to loose our home, cars and at the time felt like we were loosing everything. My mom lives in NC so I couldn't just go to her house for comfort so I called her that evening four years ago, just to hear her voice to reassure me that everything was going to be OK. She told me to close my eyes and pray with her and imagine that her arms were around me hugging me! She told me to "let go and let God" from that point forward it's gotten a little easier each year that has passed. My husband and I are stronger from all that has happend and I am looking forward to celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary next month! It won't be anything extravagant but I have happy thoughts knowing that my husband and I and our four boys have survived thus far! I am excited knowing that the end is just around the corner!

[Dmax]

Good stuff Carter!

[Drazil65]

The stress of making the payments on all the debt over the last year and half, having our home up for sale all last year trying to help our cause but not selling, making decisions when we were already in a bad financial place for hubby to go back to school, working late nights cleaning office buildings to help make ends meet with our 7 year old asleep in the lobby while the 2 of cleaned because we could not afford a babysitter over the last year and not being away (even for a weekend) since very early 2009, this past weekend we used a hotel reward night and took our son to the beach overnight (we live 2 hours from the coast). We are exhausted from making the chp 7 decision a couple of weeks ago and missing our first payments, we needed something at this point. The beach was wonderful, the hotel was fun just to be somewhere different and our son was elated. It felt like we were a million miles away from everything even if it was just one night. The ocean is calming and we played on the beach, its been a long time since we have done anything so fun away from home. We almost canceled because we felt guilty but so glad we did not, this was the best vacation we could have asked for right now and we are thankful!

[fslady]

Maybe it's a strange "Positive" but I've enjoyed getting back in touch with knowing that just because I "want" something doesn't mean that I need it. I lived like that for so long in graduate school but everyone else was in the same situation being constantly short of money. I kinda like living that way again.

[discouraged]

Mine is so simple. Finding that 'over 55' Goodwill has a 25% discount on Wednesdays for Seniors and also has a weekly getting rid of books thing and sell books which havene't sold for 15 cents. So with my senoir discount, I was able to pick up books each week (I am a serious reader). So, it was easy for me to be entertained while I wait for the closing of my bk.