When you have a chronic illness, you spend a great deal of time alone, thinking. This can bring great clarity to life. I no longer just see the news stories and shake my head and move on with my day. I have time to closely examine things. Im seeing things I had never noticed before.

Its that way across the board. I see and hear things, places and people in my life that I have never noticed before. Honestly I cannot say whether it is the time on my hands or the clarity that comes with facing your own mortality. But the clarity brings growth and that growth can sometimes be very painful. The truth really does hurt sometimes.

When you are more able to easily identify pettiness it can save you a great deal time and effort. However, when you are also able to more readily recognize hypocrisy and bad behavior, it isnt quite as noble to ignore it. At some point you realize that conflict must be addressed and stands must taken.