What life-changing event?

Just bored and looking for interesting conversation...so....

Looking back over your life so far, what is the one most life-changing event have you experienced?

I'd start off with one but I need to give it some thought....

Having children.
And then having grandchildren.
Truly life changing in every way possible :)

When I was eight or nine me and my dad were wrestling in our living room, he was on the ground and started to shake and I went to go jump on top of him but It felt like a hand was on my chest and I couldn't do it. Turns out he was having a seizure. Kinda boosted up the whole power of god thing in me

Moving hundreds of miles to be with my girlfriend who has two kids. Would not change a thing:)

Moving 20 miles away from my hometown with my step-father.

And moving back home after realizing he was only worth the title of ex.

Marriage! The biggest and scariest but by far the BEST conscious decision I've ever made.

Great question! Several years ago my ex husband was in an accident and is now paralyzed from the chest down. About 6 months ago I ran into some troubles and he stepped up to the plate to help me out (We had not spoken for roughly three years and I had not seen him since before he was hurt). I had A LOT of anger toward him and had a huge pill to swallow just seeing him again.

I guess having someone LESS ABLE than myself be the one person able to help me when I needed it, really made me look at life a bit differently. Taught me to forgive, taught me to be more understanding and most importantly taught me that taking things for granted usually leads to under appreciating what you really have.

We're now back together and take care of each other. :)

The birth of my son, meeting and falling in love with someone that really understands me (my wife), almost losing my son last year .... and watching a guy sit at my kitchen table chew and swallow a slug ... just sayin.

(hey, i gotta be me. :D )

-adam

Definitely having kids. It's the great equalizer. You never grow so quickly then when you have someone else who depends on you for everything. My oldest boy turned 17 today. It's humbling to see what kind of a person he's grown into and a bit sad to see that he just doesn't need me as much as he used to. I'm very proud of him.

Diagnosed with Type II Bipolar Depression when I was 11. I attempted to commit suicide a bunch of times and really beat myself up over everything that happened in my life. I was on different types of medication and got hospitalized a couple of times. I used to see a 'team' of psychologists and psychiatrists and had cat scans of my brain done every couple of months. Life was dull and a waste for me and everyday felt like the same ongoing hell. Anyways, just before I turned 18, I decided to just stop taking my daily 40mg dosage of Fluoxetine (Prozac) and helped myself get better naturally. I'm now extremely happy with my life and learned to realize that my body is the only permanent thing in my life and something I should learn to cherish, which is why I got my tattoo done (picture in gallery).

My tattoo says:
"Alive
This holy reality, in this holy experience
Choosing to be here in this body
This body holding me
Be my reminder here that I am not alone
In this body, this body holding me
Feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion
Of what it means to be alive" - Tool (Parabola lyrics)

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Originally Posted by starmom

Having children.
And then having grandchildren.
Truly life changing in every way possible :)

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Ditto...ditto....ditto

Well I don't have a fun story but it really makes a person think. About 9 years ago I was engaged to a beautiful wonderful woman that had a 2 year old daughter (she wasn't mine but I loved her as my own). They were in Cali 2 months before we were to get married and a semi tboned them and they both died in a car crash. Ever since then I don't think I could ever fall in love again since I'm still kinda nervous they'll be taken away from me like they did then.

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Originally Posted by WizzySRT10

Well I don't have a fun story but it really makes a person think. About 9 years ago I was engaged to a beautiful wonderful woman that had a 2 year old daughter (she wasn't mine but I loved her as my own). They were in Cali 2 months before we were to get married and a semi tboned them and they both died in a car crash. Ever since then I don't think I could ever fall in love again since I'm still kinda nervous they'll be taken away from me like they did then.

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I'm extremely sorry to hear that. I would be shattered and I'm sure you were.
I'm at a loss of words...

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

The birth of my son, meeting and falling in love with someone that really understands me (my wife), almost losing my son last year .... and watching a guy sit at my kitchen table chew and swallow a slug ... just sayin.

(hey, i gotta be me. :D )

-adam

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Good thing you clarified it was Kelly you were talking about bro;)

I'd say being pregnant and then having a miscarriage, both without knowing at first, was quite life changing. Although it was a negative event, I feel I am stronger because of it and it changed my perspective, so it was also positive in a way.

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Originally Posted by waltah!

Good thing you clarified it was Kelly you were talking about bro;)

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Well, I was figuring that a lot of people were thinking it might be you bro ... so you know, I wanted to clear that air out. :sweeet:

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Well, I was figuring that a lot of people were thinking it might be you bro ... so you know, I wanted to clear that air out. :sweeet:

-adam

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Don't tell him that he might get heart broken that you're cheating on him.

For me it was having my son.

I was 18 and in a really, really bad relationship/situation. He changed my entire outlook on life. Nothing anymore was about me.. it was all about my son and only him.

Also getting married and having our daughter. It really opened my eyes to what a family is really supposed to be like!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Well, I was figuring that a lot of people were thinking it might be you bro ... so you know, I wanted to clear that air out. :sweeet:

-adam

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Ya never know dude, you haven't seen me in the 8ball baby doll shirt yet. Now that's a life changing event!
-hope this helps

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Originally Posted by waltah!

Ya never know dude, you haven't seen me in the 8ball baby doll shirt yet. Now that's a life changing event!
-hope this helps

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it helps fo shiz! :sweeet: :rolleye2:

-adam

When I was 18, the summer after graduation, I came to WI to visit my uncle who was in the hospital at the time. He was born with Hydrosephalus (water on the brain) along with a whole cocktail mix of other problems associated with it. Anyways, he was in the hospital because he kept getting worse and worse- the seizure meds weren't working as well, he needed more brain surgery, etc.

Well, he got out of the hospital and could no longer be semi-independent like he had been his whole life. My aunt could no longer take care of him on her own so when my dad went back home to WA, I stayed behind. My uncle died the following spring.

To this day, I don't know why I stayed here. But I'm glad I did!

I have some stories, but none too ... awesome. I have been shaped and molded slowly by my surroundings.

Although I have no really interesting and substantial life changing things in my past, my future (near future .. very near future) holds some that will change my life and how people view me for the rest of my life. It's scary, and it keep me up at night.

I agree with those who spoke of their children as the supreme life changing events. I raised my kids as a single mom for most of their lives, and it was often a tough road, but I love them and they have changed my life irrevocably, and for the better.

GREAT thread.

When I was 14, my mom died unexpectedly. Events occurred, and I had to basically take over her role in the family. It brought me closer to my siblings and my dad, and taught me responsibility. We all went through a rough period, but eventually we were able to move on. The little things don't bother me anymore, and I have a better appreciation for life. There's a whole heck of a lot more to the story, but I'd rather not get too personal.

First off, I want to say this to Pandora: I understand TOTALLY! I have Clinical Depression as well as ADD and mild Schizophrenia. I was on meds for a year before I said 'Enough' and weaned myself off them. Now I handle it all on my own...with the help of my BF.

Which leads me to proclaim my own event. Although having my daughter was interesting, and it led to my being officially diagnosed with those above disorders, it wasn't really big to me since I can't really handle being around children. Maybe it's because I was responsible for my brother since I was 4, maybe it's the mental stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love the girl... but she's better off with her father.

Anyway, the one event that changed my life the MOST was meeting and finally getting together with my partner/BF, Ari. He is the first person to accept me AS I AM and not want to change something. He also is the best 'medicine' I could ever have, since he has a few issues as well and actually understands what I think and go through. I moved here to Colorado with him so he could go to a Tech school for a Game Design degree (which he has) and that was the best decision I ever could have made. He has saved my life, figuratively and literally, more times than I can count. I have also been with him longer than anyone else(5.5 years) and hope to stay with him for years to come. :)

I would have to say the most life changing event for me was watching my dad fight and eventually lose the battle with brain cancer. You never realize how precious the time is with your family until something like that happens. Luckily I had a year to spend time with him after his diagnosis even though for a lot of the time he wasn't himself. Still I would never give back that time. My sisters and I started a charity foundation in his name after he died (www.mtgfoundation.org) and have raised more than $30,000 to fund brain cancer research.

Divorce.

I realized how many BIG decisions I'd made for other people's sake and how much of my life i'd put off just to find a comfort i didn't ultimately want or need.

It was a 5 year diversion from what would otherwise have been the normal course of my life, and so everything else is running a little behind schedule (i'm a 26 year old undergrad) - but i learned SO MUCH from the experience, and I can never be the same.

i would have to say i've had many life changing events in my life but the most significant recently was this 12 week fast i just completed. going inward with meditation and spending time on my journey, rather than a destination was a huge gift to me.

of course changing my life a year ago and getting rid of all the fat on my body was pretty significant as well... and then there's having babies, getting married... all that amazing stuff that fills my memories with smiles.

the birth of my boys... and then learning how precious life really is, with everything weve been through with our youngest child. weve gained a new found respect for life, being thankful for the small things, exc.

This one time when I was in college I got drunk and hooked up with a girl.

We've been together for over 3 years now, and I'm happier than I have ever been in my life because of her :D

Sometimes you can never know what kind of luck and opportunity life throws your way, especially when you can look back and laugh.

I can't wait until the day I have children of my own...

But to date my most life changing experience was last September at the age of 23. I had always been healthy, and never experienced any real health problems until one day what I thought was the stomach flu turned into the most excruciating pain of my life. I started losing consciousness and was unable to stand up from the incredible pain in my stomach. To keep a long story as short as possible I ended up on an operating table where they discovered I had suffered a freak anurism(sp?) in an artery above my stomach, and I was interlnally rupturing lots of blood. I heard afterward that the operation did not go quite as planned, and a few hours in, a specialist was called, to come in at 1:30 in the morning and determine the source of bleeding. He was able to get me fixed up. Where the last report they had given my dad was 1 in 3 chances of making it. 56 staples later, a week in the hospital and a scar that goes vertical literally down my entire stomach to below the pant line I guess I got lucky. At least that is what the doctor told me. This happened totally out of left field and I would have never seen it coming, but I almost lost everything. That defiantly changed the way I look at a lot of things.

~Joe

I would say my boyfriend. we have been together since 7th grade now we are in college! We have known each other since we were 6 and went to the same nature camp. He is my savior and I would do anything for him. He is the love of my life and I will do anything if it would make him happy.:D:D

Meeting the living God, Jesus Christ, a little over 2 years ago is by far the most significant and memorable event of my lifetime. Everything else is nothing in comparison.

Watching one of my best friends and also my dear Aunt die slow painful deaths from cancer certainly put things into perpsective for me and made me realise how, that you have to live life for the now.

The most life changing event was the obvious one and that was the birth of our daughter. Now I'm constantly happy but at the same time constantly concerned and worrying about my daughters well being and future :gj:

Hrmm, I've had a few life changing events over the last 3-4 years.

I got married, everything changed.
I had kids, everything changed.
Found out the hubby needs a new heart, everything changed.

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Originally Posted by bsd13

Meeting the living God, Jesus Christ, a little over 2 years ago is by far the most significant and memorable event of my lifetime. Everything else is nothing in comparison.

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Did you get a photo?

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Originally Posted by Pandora

Diagnosed with Type II Bipolar Depression when I was 11. I attempted to commit suicide a bunch of times and really beat myself up over everything that happened in my life. I was on different types of medication and got hospitalized a couple of times. I used to see a 'team' of psychologists and psychiatrists and had cat scans of my brain done every couple of months. Life was dull and a waste for me and everyday felt like the same ongoing hell. Anyways, just before I turned 18, I decided to just stop taking my daily 40mg dosage of Fluoxetine (Prozac) and helped myself get better naturally. I'm now extremely happy with my life and learned to realize that my body is the only permanent thing in my life and something I should learn to cherish, which is why I got my tattoo done (picture in gallery).

My tattoo says:
"Alive
This holy reality, in this holy experience
Choosing to be here in this body
This body holding me
Be my reminder here that I am not alone
In this body, this body holding me
Feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion
Of what it means to be alive" - Tool (Parabola lyrics)

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Very glad to hear that you overcame your depression. My sister also has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She is not taking medication now, and seems to be doing much better.

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Originally Posted by fergie

Did you get a photo?

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Better than a photo.

My first life-changing event was watching my step-father kill a harmless snake with an axe; I was almost 14. I held it & watched it as the life drained out it. I buried it and have been pro-snake ever since.
My next was accepting God into my life;
raising my 3 boys (all productive young men);
now i'm waiting for the grandchildren! I think I may be inheriting one darling little girl, hopefully soon, so that's a start! (she calls me Meemaw already!)
My life is wonderful! :gj:

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Originally Posted by bsd13

Better than a photo.

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OK then :rolleye2: I jest, I'm not trying to knock you or your faith. I'm just very cynical of comments like that ;)

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Originally Posted by fergie

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OK then :rolleye2: I jest, I'm not trying to knock you or your faith. I'm just very cynical of comments like that ;)

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I understand. It's one of those things that until it happens to you it is utter and complete nonsense. I know, because until it happened to me it was utter and complete nonsense :)

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Originally Posted by bsd13

I understand. It's one of those things that until it happens to you it is utter and complete nonsense. I know, because until it happened to me it was utter and complete nonsense :)

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For myself it will always remain utter and complete nonsense but each to their own :gj:

Nearly being killed in a car crash last December. Gave me a whole new appreciation and outlook on life. I'm a much happier person.

My biggest life changing event was the sudden and unexpected death of my Mother, just a little over a year ago.
She was on vacation, and died while staying with some family down south.
I didn't realize just how devastating the death of a parent can be. My sister and I didn't have a father, so our Mother was all we had.
Its a creepy feeling, you feel truly alone for the first time in your life.