My newest addiction...

Besides my renewed passion for crafting, my other newest addiction is the show "Criminal Minds." My friend, Kristin (her new blog is here), has been a fan of the show for quite some time. I know that I had seen at least one episode in the past, but I've so enjoyed watching tons of episodes. Thanks to a few cable networks, "Criminal Minds" is on the air constantly! I have my DVR set to record all episodes and have watched many of them! Typically, there is a quote read at the beginning and the end of each episode, one of the characters reads a quote. There was an episode on a few weeks ago and the character J.J. read this quote at the end:

"Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God, do you learn." -- C.S. Lewis.

I just can't seem to get this quote out of my head. Over the course of my life, I've had several experiences that I feel really mimic the sentiment of this quote. So many situations that I have survived have taught me tough lessons in life. I try not to allow difficult times to make me a cynical person - sometimes I succeed and sometimes I do not. While life hasn't always been easy, I have learned priceless lessons that I wouldn't have otherwise. In the past, when I would share bits and pieces of my "life story," I sometimes felt like people really pitied me or felt sorry for me. That's not what I'm about. If I didn't go through those circumstances, I know that I would not be the person I am today.