性爱巴士

Inclusion

Kandy Gainey

She/Her

Human Resources Information Systems Manager – GANNETT

 

I left home immediately after high school and started a journey with the U.S. Armed Forces that would change the course of my life forever. I was both an Active Duty Air Force member and then an Army dependent after I got married. I have moved countless times, I have lived in a foreign country, and despite having endured unspeakable personal tragedy, I have managed to pick myself up and carry on.

The biggest lesson I have learned thus far is鈥.

The lesson my experiences have taught me is that the present moment is all one really has, the past doesn鈥檛 exist anymore, and the future is just an illusion.

As I thought about this question and considered the circumstances that have worked together to turn me into the person I am today, I became painfully aware of how much time I have lost ruminating over painful past events and worrying about an uncertain future. There were times when the weight of this mindset became too much to bear and in order to survive, I sought out guidance and found that present moment awareness was the solution I had been looking for.

Eckhart Tolle said in his book,The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment:

鈥淎ll negativity is caused by an accumulation of psychological time and denial of the present. Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry 鈥 all forms of fear 鈥 are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.鈥

The first time I read those words, it was like a light had been turned on for me and I was able to clearly see the sources of my suffering. Focusing on the present moment has allowed me to endure the death of two of my children, to move on from broken relationships, and endure times of financial uncertainty.

I still have to consciously keep myself in check and notice when I start to ruminate and worry so I can stop it in its tracks. I have to examine myself everyday and keep the 鈥渨olves鈥 of the past and the uncertain future at bay.

I am definitely a work in progress, but I have decided that I will not let life鈥檚 circumstances break me.

Military Appreciation Month

Designated by Congress in 1999, May is Military Appreciation Month, a time to honor and recognize those who serve and have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

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