“Oh, Mom it hurts so much!“  A daughter’s words at the breakup of a marriage that should never have been.  the emotional toll of having given and given more - only to have the gift rejected!  Not just rejected - but horribly rejected.

I use personal experience because all too often I’ve heard it from women who’ve given & given and given some more - only to have the “giving” rejected in some cruel way.

How do we handle situations like the above in our lives?  It may not have happened to us personally or to a member of our family.  It may have happened in business or in the workplace.  The ‘perpetrator’ may have been a beloved special person; a co-worker, supervisor or business partner.  It may have come at the end of a long line of ‘giving’.  Finally - enough is enough we think and set out to right the situation.

Is there a time when ‘enough is enough’?  Is there a time when we walk away, licking the wounds, while carrying greater wisdom with us?

It’s simply my humble opinion (from one chronologically maturing woman to another) that there is a time that comes when the only (and BEST) choice we have is to walk away.  After all, if our ‘giving’ is consistently refused, rejected or repulsed in some manner - then the ‘gift’ can’t be given.  Can’t be given because the giftee refuses it.

When I was working therapeutically with women (in a former life mind you), the most difficult task was to get them to give up instead of give in.  Every one of them wanted to save something that wasn’t worth saving.  In fact, the “something (or someone)” didn’t want to be ’saved’.

It was over!  The pain of saying that and meaning it was what was fearful.  Feeling the hurt of walking away.  It’s what I used to describe as the going through stage.  ‘Ain’t no way around it except to go through it!

Any loss is painful!  Doesn’t matter what it is - it hurts and we must grieve it and move on.  If we don’t, we and our lives are stuck.

A daughter had no choice but to walk away because former spouse already did it!  Yours-truly had no choice because even the wonderful financial advisor said, “let’s stop the bleeding’.  Many of you have had no other choice because one of two things happened; 1) the giftee walked first or 2) you said “enough is enough”!  Too much, too much, too much.

Once we’ve come to that point, how we handle it becomes the next challenge we face.  But that’s a conversation for another day.  Today, if you are the ‘giftor’ and the recipient of the ‘gift’ continues to reject, repulse or refuse the ‘gift’ - perhaps it’s time to ‘cut your loses’ and say OUT LOUD - “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”

That should be enough women’s wisdom for an entire week!  May today be a day when your gifts are continually accepted and joy fills your toolbag!

Have an awesome day!

Linda