Choices, mistakes, and U turns

Today we were at the park and I couldn't help but notice a girl, she must have been in her early 20's, and she was with a guy sitting by the bathrooms packing some sort of bag. She had a cast in her hand and a very sad look to her. The guy looked like he was rough around the edges and very stoned (being Oregon it is not surprising... sadly) what called to my attention was the whole look of the situation and the fact that between me and them was the playground. The playground full of kids, including you, and all I could think about was that girl. She was once little, innocent and full of joy.  What was her past like? what her family (if she had any) could have been like? what drove her to make these life choices? she might have grown up in an abusive environment and full of neglect making her think shes not enough and follow the same patterns in life or she might have grown up in a loving environment but made some bad decisions later on in life and feels ashamed to ask for help and get out of them, or maybe she doesn't know any better... I don't know... but it truly breaks my heart to see women in those situations and I know that sometimes all it takes is one dumb choice.

That is why I want you to know that even though you have been brought up with the best of my abilities as a Mom and a loving family, I know you are human and as human you are bound to make mistakes or maybe is not you that needs to hear this but a friend or someone you know that is in need for you to guide her. I have made it my mission to raise you with a strong foundation, values, and brains to make the right choices in life (and sometimes people just don't have that opportunity) but I also know how peer pressure can deviate that inner compass we all have, and an abusive relationships can even try to break that compass or make it feel like is broken. But I also want you to know we all make mistakes, we have all made dumb decisions (some worse than others or and some not as bad as others) but none of us can escape our human nature, and it doesn't matter how bad you think the mistake is or low you feel you have gotten, don't be ashamed to ask for help, don't be ashamed to come to your family, to places that can help, and specially to your church and seek God.

I also want you to know what took me years to realize, our lives are made of choices. We have the power to turn your life around at any time, no matter how bad we think it is or how terrible our past choices have been. God has given us a soul- an inner compass- and strength to create our life, no matter what the past was or what dumb choices we might have made. Which in part is why I am such a big believer of going to confession, God knows our sinful imperfect nature and when Jesus gave the Apostles the power to forgive sins was for that same reason. He wanted to help us realize we have the choice to change our lives and we need His grace to give us that strength. I like the idea of going to a priest and confess what ever dumb choices I might have made, it is such a powerful thing, by speaking them out loud I am releasing myself from the shackles and weight those past choices hold over me, and then hearing that God forgives me and what ever I may have done in the past is gone and I have a blank slate and freedom to turn my life around by making better choices. To some people they might not agree with that and that is OK, the main point I want to make is that:

YOU have the power to choose, the power to create your life, to live your life on purpose, your life is in your hands... no matter what the past was like, what you past mistakes might have been, no matter how bad or how dumb you might feel about your choices, no matter if you feel like there is no way out, no matter what or how your life has been like up to this point... you can choose to do a U turn at any moment and know that you are a strong capable woman who can create her life to be what ever she wants it to be and it is OK to ask for help and specially to God, He will give you strength and guidance by putting the right people on your path.