Today's topic was suggested by a father of eleven, who knows his life should be full, but who has a sneaking suspicion that life has passed him by. He seeks your help today. Let him tell you in his own words:

I am a father with six biological children. We also have another five of whom neither my wife nor I are the biological parents. The first came 9 1/2 months after we were married. I have no concept of what those of whom are childless experience.

My life is, however, filled with trial in other ways. Life happens! And so often I react with negative emotions. I have resisted these negative emotions most of my life, not being willing to feel what I feel or even be aware that I am feeling that way. Consequently I have denied much of the richness of life. I have certainly not had the opportunities to learn from my greatest teachers that I have found that my emotions have been in the last few years.

It is so frustrating to be stuck.

These last few years I am finding that I am being limited by my unwillingness to fully feel my emotions and notice the thinking that has produced many of my emotions. I keep myself stuck by not being willing to fully feel, name the emotion and fully experience and learn from it.

How much I have lost because of my unwillingness to accept my situation and then move onto something else!

How do we do that? How do we let go of unfulfilled dreams?

Missing Something

Here you have it, readers. How do we deal with the disappointments of life? When we have a goal that goes unfulfilled, or if we feel as though something is missing but we don't know what — what do we do? How do we handle it? How do we pick up the pieces and go on to live a happy life? 

Missing Something needs your help. If you have any advice for him — especially something that worked in your own life or the life of someone close to you — please send your suggestions to meridianmagazine@aol.com . Put something in the subject line to tell me your letter isn't spam. We'll publish the first responses two weeks from today, when I get back from vacation.

And when you write, be sure to include your full name, city and state or province. (If you'd rather be semi-anonymous, sign your name as “A Reader from Michigan ,” or “Sandy from Timbuktu .” The important thing is that we hear from you.)

Until next time — Kathy

You cannot dream yourself into a character;
you must hammer and forge yourself one.

James A. Froude