Dr Laura

During my browsing last week at a local yard-sale I picked up a couple of new books, one of which was by the national favorite "Dr. Laura". Her name....kind of cheesy, and if you've ever listened to her talk show (if your reaction is like mine) you may chuckle at her brash, straightforward candor, all the while smiling at the wisdom that can escape her mouth. She's good at what she does. So as long as you are a caller who is in teachable mode - good for you! But if not....be careful, she'll put you in your place whether or not you want to hear it!

Anyhow, in this current book I'm reading the point has been made several times during the opening chapter of the difference in living life as either 1. A Victim (of whatever trial), 2. A Survivor, or 3. A Conqueror. For instance, a person who was abused as a child can choose to live their adult life as one of the three options listed above. Same goes for a person who's parents divorced, or perhaps died - or perhaps this person was bullied at school for some reason.
I felt a huge paradigm shift as I read multiple examples of callers to her show describe their own choices. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are taught that this life is a test of our choices. The choice between good vs. evil -yes. I realized that there is another choice, the choice of not just surviving this life, but coming out victorious in the end.
My Prince Charming and I were talking about this this morning. Are we surviving our trials day in and out or are we conquering them?

Hmmmm. Good thinking material. I think I've decided how I want to end up. And for the first time in my life I see that the meaning of my name, Nicole may have been an inspiring choice after all. Nicole means "Victory of the People". Huh? I've always thought that was the lamest name meaning. Now it seems kind of cool. It's always been sentimental, my Dad served a mission in Scotland and met a family there with a little girl with dark-brown/black eyes, beautiful, he said. He decided then that his little girl would carry her name. Her name was Nicole. If my Mom had had her way I would have been named Lindsey. Isn't that cute? Daddy won out and he's been my hero in so many ways over my 31 years. Smile.