Obligation

Why is it that it's so hard to prioritize me? I feel almost a compulsion to put the needs of others, even those of relative strangers, before my own. Altruism is good, to a point, but not to the point of neglecting your own basic needs.

This is something I need to work on, and rationally I understand that you can best take care of others when you yourself are adequately taken care of. Still, the guilt, it is there. I'm weary. I need a break. I wish others would step up and take some of the load off. But for now, all I can do is take what time I can for myself and what energy I can for my own healing and try to give myself a break when I can't be all I'd like to be for others.

Belief-o-matic

Pattie sent directed me to the belief-o-matic and told me that it got her spot on, so I gave it a shot. Here's where my beliefs landed me:

1.	Liberal Quakers (100%)
2.	Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (98%)
3.	Unitarian Universalism (92%)
4.	Neo-Pagan (82%)
5.	New Age (81%)
6.	Reform Judaism (75%)
7.	Secular Humanism (72%)
8.	Orthodox Quaker (65%)
9.	Mahayana Buddhism (64%)
10.	Taoism (58%)
11.	Theravada Buddhism (56%)
12.	Bahá'í Faith (55%)
13.	New Thought (54%)
14.	Sikhism (49%)
15.	Scientology (44%)
16.	Jainism (40%)
17.	Seventh Day Adventist (38%)
18.	Nontheist (37%)
19.	Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (36%)
20.	Eastern Orthodox (35%)
21.	Roman Catholic (35%)
22.	Hinduism (32%)
23.	Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (32%)
24.	Orthodox Judaism (26%)
25.	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (26%)
26.	Islam (20%)
27.	Jehovah's Witness

I really can't believe that Scientology and Seventh Day Adventist were before Roman Catholic.

If the an internet quiz can tell me which group best fits my beliefs by my answering a few questions, why did it take me years to make the jump?

Driving

I know you think you're a big man- all of 17, driving your car full of friends home on the last day of school. You probably think you'll live forever. Life is a highway...

As I drove down the road in my minivan with my two kids in carseats behind me, I was all too aware of others on the road with me. I may have been only going the speed limit and it probably seemed to you that it was taking me forever to get to that intersection. You could easily zip off your left turn in front of me before my slow-ass got to the light. If you even thought at all.

I thought of my kids, and of you, and of your carload of friends, as I slammed on the brakes so you could continue on your merry way. I saw you jeer at me and your friends laughing as I honked my horn. Then had to try to not swear and cry as I explained why I'd done it to my 3-year-old in the back seat who was frightened by the breaking and the horn blaring. I told him that was the only way I had to communicate with other drivers when they were being reckless. I didn't tell him that in that split second his mommy was overcome with fear that she might lose her children's lives because you weren't thinking beyond yourself.

SLOW DOWN! You are not invincible. Your friends are not unbreakable. Not all injuries can be overcome. Lives are not replaceable.