Some of you know my story...others might have to do a little reading. The question for today is this: What drive you to keep going, to keep moving forward?

The motivation for this question was a man I met at work the other day...He's a student at university where I work and I was trying to assist him getting registered for classes. I could see he was visibly shaken, almost on the brink of tears. Of course we got to talking and he shared a little of his story -- married 18 years, two kids...wife walked out on him @ thanksgiving for another man. Wife doing drugs. Then finds out father has cancer, needs surgery, etc. The man sitting in front of me starts to shake and talks about being admitted to mental hospital for a while�and on medication now. He can barely hold it together�

I�m thinking of my situation � married 18 years, STBx multiple affairs, my Mom diagnosed with cancer and recovering from surgery. Maybe this is God�s way of showing me the strength that lies within me�especially as I inch closer to one year since DDay#4 and D-Papers day in early May 2009. It�s been a long, hard road.

So this morning I�m lying in bed thinking of what motivates me�it is simple really�those two dear daughters are #1 on my priority list! Plain and simple. I do what I do for them. I have faith in God. I have incredible support from my family. And simply this�

I

WILL

NOT

Q U I T ! ! !


Plain and simple. I get out of bed every day because I refuse to let life beat me. I simply refuse to quit.

So what motivates you?

What drives me is to be the best that I can be and give all that I have within me. The simple truth is we all want to love and be loved before we depart this earth. When it's my time, I want the people who loved me the most by my side - everything else doesn't matter.

Gg

What drives me is the thought that

no one else defines me

I choose who I am, how I respond to each situation and I want the lease amount of regret in the future.

I try to let my level headedness vs emotions guide me

Like you, LG, my kids drive me.

I have three teenagers who know right from wrong. WH walked out on them as much as me -- in fact, more.

I see it this way. He has a right to replace me. I'm just his wife. To walk out on our kids -- to stop being a parent -- is very, very wrong.

I'm so driven to make sure life goes on for my kids. That they have a mom who cares for them, protects them, guides them, loves them.

Today I've given into to DDs request and we're picking up a puppy. And we've promised to skype DS at college to introduce him to his new sibling.

I get up each morning with my kids being my motivation. That, and of course, my faith. That despite what WH has done, and the fact that Satan seems to influence his actions, I will live my life following the Word. Because, when it's all said and done, it doesn't matter how much money you have in the bank, or what kind of car you drive, or how hot your spouse is... what matters is did you live your life by the commandments? Did you raise your children to be a reflection of good? Did you let Satan beat you?

I really believe that Satan is at work here. Leading WSs down a path to hell. And it's best that we recognize this and counteract it in our lives and in our children's lives.

I'm actually blessed that WH is an absent parent so his influence doesn't corrupt or compromise the beliefs of our children. As DD reminded me one day "I had a great Dad for 16 years. He taught me right from wrong. I'll follow that even though he changed."

Life is just different than before. I still appreciate life -- just in a different way. I'll get my mojo back some day and not dwell on this ugliness. That's the beauty of human nature and time. We're resilient. We're survivors.

What drives me?
Same as all of the above:
I refuse to let life beat me down, I want to leave this earth knowing that I have loved others and others have loved me, I want my stepchildren whom I helped raise have one great example in their lives to learn from, I want to grow and learn and experience what life has to offer. Most of all, I know that a higher power has a plan and in the end it will be great (my faith) and I want to help others (I do that in my profession).
But I agree with HH that there is a bad presence at work driving the WS's to the selfish end and rejecting the love that was in their lives.
Ultimately, I think this life is about real love, giving and receiving and appreciating what we have.

My son motivates me. I want better for him. He's too young to understand, but I know he feels the pain of having two parents divided. He deserves a better father, the way his father can be.

I'm also motivated by the fact that I am worth it. I am worth caring about, worth loving. I'm worth having a wonderful marriage, worth having a wonderful, loving husband. I refuse to think the POSOW is better than me in any way.

I'm a survivor. I survived many, many things. I can survive this too.