at some point it will take its toll. 2009 has been a hard year for so many of us. You don’t have to look very far to see the effects of the economy — not just in the multitude of lost jobs and devastated careers. Countless people have lost their homes, their savings and their futures. The loss of a loved is overwhelming in and of itself, but when you are hanging on by a thread from compounded stress, an additional loss can push you over the edge and set you into a free-fall. As diverse as the people in the world appear, we are really all the same. Some may hide it better than others, but we all long for love, acceptance, and value. We need security, assurance and a tiny corner of the world to call our own. The hardest loss to bounce back from is that free-fall and it hits us all at some point in our lives — maybe more than once. In those moments, it’s okay to check out and take time to re-group — to grieve what or whom you have lost and determine your direction. Its important to understand that grief hits us all in different ways at different times and we feel devastated, abandoned and alone. For a time, it can consume our lives, take away passion and drive. We all have moments of rain, but we also have a lot of sunshine and all of our moments weave our spirit. They build a fire within us that brings us through the rain so we can once again see the wonder, joy and love in life. We are all alike, struggling to survive the bad times the best way we can and thrive on our joy in the good times. Some of us are luckier than others, but as my mother used to say, “There but for the grace of GOD goes you.” If you are at a low point in your life, remember, you probably don’t have to look very far to find someone in a darker place than you. So once you grieve, move forward in your circle of life and don’t forget to hold out your hand to others to help them through their rain. Your attitude is contagious — make it worth catching. Casi PS. To my fans, I am sorry I have not written my blog in several weeks, but I had to take my moment.