“Whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”
I saw this Someecard today and realized how many times I have uttered this phrase in my life.
Please click the card to go to Someecards and thank you, Kathy Wakile , for permission to use your work!
Lately, I have said it more than a few times and often under my breath. Bob too, I think, when he was paying all those Dr. Bills.
We are stronger now.
Two weeks ago I was still whining about my sore knee, and Bob was under the weight of all the bills rolling in. Then suddenly the bill pile was tamed, the mail coming in is mostly of the junk variety, and I can walk without limping… so long as I carry my flashlight with me in the dark when crossing the lawn. (Live and learn. 😉 )
From April to now it has been one thing after another.
Yet we kept our faith.
We are tired,
but we are strong.
~*~
When the going gets tough how do you cope?
Life on the Farmlet 
What didn’t kill me didn’t make me stronger, it damaged me somewhat… but it did make me grateful for my life, so I guess that’s enough…
Grateful is always good, Kate.
I am glad that there is a little light at the end of a long tunnel. My strategy is moaning loudly. It helps me but it drives everyone else mad.
Thank you, Tom. Your moaning has reminded me that mine used to be the heavy sigh. Back in 73 I had to give it up at my first duty station. There was a CPO there that used to take it personally and she always gave me extra duty! For me the heavy sigh was like the valve on a pressure cooker. It kept me from crying under stress, and in the Navy you never want anyone to see you cry. 😛
YUP! 🙂
I should think not. I used to sigh heavily when I was a teacher.
Understandable there, Tom! 😉
Look at all this good news! Taming the bills is a struggle for all of us, but you certainly had more than your share of bigger-than-expected. And now you can walk!
I don’t remember ever turning to that little saying about what doesn’t kill us, although it’s familiar as can be. You did make me laugh with that other saying. Whenever I hear it, I always remember Hunter S. Thompson’s version: “When the going gets tough, the tough turn pro.” What does it mean? I’m not exactly sure — I never was completely sure about Thompson. But it makes me laugh, every time, and there’s no question the ability to laugh is a big ol’ tool in my basket of coping skills!
Happy weekend to you, too. It’s rained all day, and we may get more tomorrow. I can’t think of anything better.
Linda, the big ones are tamed in monthly payments to credit. 😦 Thankfully, all the nasty little “Hey!” bills from the hired help in the ER and the hospital are gone. 🙂 We couldn’t believe how many there were!
Your quote got me interested and sent me searching far and wide for the HST quote. Here is what I found out:
The quote from Thompson was “When the going gets weird the weird turn pro.”
From: “Fear and Loathing at the Super Bowl” (Rolling Stone #155, (28 February 1974); republished in Gonzo Papers, Vol. 1: The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time (1979), p. 49 (I will have to go old school and look this up at the library to get to the original articles!)
The quote “When the going gets tough the tough get going.” is from Joseph Kennedy father of John F. Kennedy. (There is no mention of when or why he said it. Again a library trip will reveal more detail.)
It is like a giant game of telephone/telegraph with quotes out there. We hear them and use them often, but never question them. I am interested in learning just what Hunter S. Thompson was raving about when he uttered his quote, and I am certain that it will be interesting! 😀
A trip to the library will be good exercise for my gray matter and an excuse to get out of the house!
Happy rainy weather, my friend!
My go-to saying is, “It is what is is.”
Marla, blame it on Shoreacres, but I’m on a roll looking up sayings and old quotes this morning!
I searched for “It is what it is.” and came up with this article that cites its first use in 1949. I enjoyed the article, but for many it might be dry as toast. 😛
You can find William Safire’s NYTimes article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/05/magazine/305wwln_safire.1.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0
Thanks for sharing, and for adding to my fun sleuthing skills this morning! 🙂
So interesting! Thanks for the research.
You are welcome, Marla!
Nothing but clear skies coming your way now! 😉
Diana xo
Yes, Diana! Thank you!
Glad to hear it’s quieting down! I do agree with the sentiment of the Sommeecard though.
Nancy
Thank you, Nancy. It has been a very long summer to be sure!
Oh how glad I am to read this post!! Very happy to hear that you all weathered this terrible time.
I did have to chuckle at the image you posted. The woman who cared for my son when he was a baby used to jokingly say “I used to pray that God would make me stronger, but then I realized he kept sending me challenges to accomplish the goal … so I stopped that prayer” 🙂
Thank you, Laurie! This has been the longest and most boring summer ever.
No money + bum leg = no fun!
I can empathize with your baby sitter! 😉
“When the going gets tough how do you cope?” It might be slower, with the gait unsteady; but, one step at a time… ‘Cause “an object in motion tends to stay in motion” (even if it is only a crawl ; )
HA! With this bum knee crawling is absolutely out of the question, Deb! 😉
LOL, I did a number on one of my knees a few weeks back too, so “moving at a crawl” would be more of a figure of speech for both of us; )
I’ve noticed that when my sense of humor goes, I’m really in a hopeless state. If I can keep a sense of humor, no matter what, then I’m okay. I’ve also learned to forgive myself and say, “That can wait until tomorrow.” Granted, some things cannot wait, like caring for animals, and other things can wait, processing harvested vegetables, but then I will lose all that hard work. Mostly, I push on. Sometimes I take a breather from whatever I am pursuing, whether it be my health issues or personal goals, and come back to them later. I may complain during these phases that I’ve given up, that I will deal with my pain, etc., but I bounce back. And, the small things–the bees alighting on sunflowers, ducks inquisitively waiting as I overturn rocks where worms hide, making my boyfriend laugh, cooking a great meal for someone. All of that is love and so meaningful. I wish some of the folks who are restless, prone to violence and trouble-makers could see these seemingly minuscule beauties instead of hurting others. It’s really a type of meditation.
“Hey, buddy…don’t kill people, plant a flower instead!”
Yes, Freddie, I get there sometimes, but always the animals get what they need, and getting out to be with them does change your perspective. You cannot look a goose in the eye with tunnel vision. The very act of looking into their eye causes them to honk and flap their wings and you don’t want to miss that by looking at the world through a limited lens… you need wide aperture for that vision. 😉
It is confusing to me about the malcontents of the world. In my lowest of days I don’t think to hurt anyone and I do see the beauty around me. So what went so terribly wrong that they lash out, that they can’t see the beauty that surrounds them? I suppose if we knew we might fix them. Or maybe they are just too broken inside.
I am glad things are improving for you! My saying is, “Surely hard work killed SOMEbody!!!” And here I am as proof that hard work just makes you tougher! Ha ha! I wish I was there to help you, dear friend! Keep on truckin’ as they say!
Thank you, Lori! I am better and now feel like getting out more. Been riding my bike in five mile treks and this week did 15 miles. Next week 15 more then 20. 😀 Small bites will get the job done, yes? Sorry I’m so late in responding, but strangely sitting is still and issue for me. 😦
Hi there. Colleen from South africa! I live on a Farm in South africa. You grow to be an adventurer, to love it in good and bad!
Yes, Colleen, we do!