What If?

What If?
What if I can't?
What If I can?
What I should be thinking
Is it in God's plan?

What if I couldn't?
What if I could?
Then I start to wonder
If I really should?

What if I wouldn't?
What if I would?
What would I do,
If others really understood?

What if, I am beautiful,
Just as I am.
That a scale means nothing,
When talking to a human.

What if, I am worthy of love,
Just by being alive
What if,
I don't have to prove myself
Or feel ashamed to cry?

What if,
By some chance,
All my negative thoughts were wrong.
That I am free to sing and dance,
That I am not weak or strong.

What if, I did not make excuses,
I simply threw them out the door.
What if, I started getting honest,
and I started at my core.

What If?

When I am living in the present,
there is no reason for me to fear,
the what if's that surround me
and the negativity that is near.

When I am in the here and now
and take some time to breathe,
I realize that anything is possible,
as long as I believe.

Mary Pat finds blessings in every day to help her stay in the present moment and not let her Eating Disorder get the best of her.She has a Masters in Experiential Education and a BA in Religion. http://www.reflectingrace.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich talks to the media at his home in Chicago, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. The Illinois House voted Friday to impeach Blagojevich. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich says the Illinois House's decision to impeach him was no surprise because he's been engaged in a struggle with lawmakers since his re-election in 2006. The governor spoke to reporters Friday in Chicago hours after members of the House voted 114-1 to impeach him.



Steve Pruitt, from Belle Chasse, La., fills out an employment application during a Dollar General job fair in Metairie, La., Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest since early 1993, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)AP - The nation's unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs, capping one of the worst years in modern history for American workers.



Smoke caused by explosions from Israeli military operations hangs in the sky over the outskirts of Gaza City as seen from the Israel-Gaza Border, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. The U.N. Security Council called for an 'immediate' and 'durable' cease-fire in Gaza, but an intense bombardment of missiles from Israeli jets and helicopters early Friday and a barrage of Hamas rockets indicated there would be no rapid end to the fighting. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)AP - Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza Friday and Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets on at least two cities as both sides defied a U.N. call for an immediate cease-fire.



President-elect Barack Obama, flanked by CIA Director-designate Leon Panetta, left, and National Intelligence Director-designate, Ret. Navy Adm. Dennis Blair, announces his intelligence team, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, during a news conference in Washington. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)AP - Promising to protect the United States while adhering to its core human values, President-elect Barack Obama formally unveiled his intelligence team Friday, praising their integrity, management skills and willingness to tell him the truth. "We must adhere to our values as diligently as we protect our safety with no exceptions," Obama said.



U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris, left, speaks as his attorney Timothy Wright III listens during the Illinois House Impeachment Committee hearing at the Illinois State Capitol Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)AP - The Illinois Supreme Court says Secretary of State Jesse White doesn't need to sign Roland Burris' appointment to the U.S. Senate to make it valid.



Texas death row inmate Andre Thomas is shown in this undated handout file photo released Friday, Jan. 9, 2009 in Huntsville, Texas. Thomas, who has a history of mental problems is being treated at a prison psychiatric unit after authorities said he pulled out his only good eye and ate it.  He similarly had plucked out his right eye before his trial in 2004. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Criminal Justice, FILE)AP - A Texas death row inmate with a history of mental problems pulled out his only good eye and told authorities he ate it.



Tyre Dawn and her son, Lukyan, 4, are seen  outside an organic food store, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in Ashland, Ore. There are so many parents in this outdoorsy, Zen-loving, organic-eating town who won't get their kids vaccinated that federal doctors are paying just to hear their side of things. On Saturday,  Jan. 10,  locals will get $50 apiece to talk about their worries over the risks of childhood shots. This town doesn't trust the government.  (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard)AP - There are so many parents in this free-spirited, unconventional small town who won't get their kids vaccinated that federal researchers are paying money just to hear their side of things. On Saturday, 80 locals will get $50 apiece to talk about their worries over the risks of childhood shots.



In this Nov. 28, 2005 file photo, actor Patrick Swayze poses for the photographers, prior to the premiere of his new film 'Keeping Mum' at a Leicester Square cinema in central London. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, file)AP - Patrick Swayze has checked himself into the hospital for observation after contracting pneumonia, A&E president Abbe Raven announced at a meeting of the Television Critics Association where Swayze was scheduled to appear Friday to discuss his upcoming police drama "The Beast."



AP - A man may have tipped his intentions when he stood in line at an Ohio bank wearing a ski mask before staging a holdup. Police in Stow near Akron say a 24-year-old man was arrested minutes later on Thursday following a brief car chase.

In this Nov. 23, 2008 file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning rolls out as he looks for a receiver during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego. Manning made The Associated Press 2008 NFL All-Pro team announced Friday Jan. 9, 2009.  (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)AP - A changing of the guard — and tackles and running backs and receivers — saw 15 first-timers make The Associated Press 2008 NFL All-Pro team announced Friday. While such standbys as three-time NFL Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning and six-time All-Pro Ray Lewis made the squad, there was plenty of room for newcomers. Ten of the 14 offensive players and five of the 13 on defense had never been All-Pros.



Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich gestures as he announces former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris as his choice to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama during a news conference in Chicago, Illinois December 30, 2008. (Frank Polich/Reuters)Reuters - The Illinois House of Representatives impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday for abuse of power, including a charge that he tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.



Palestinians collect their belongings from their destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip January 8, 2009. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)Reuters - Israel rejected a U.N. resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Friday and warplanes and tanks pounded the Palestinian enclave.



Reuters - Robert Rubin, the former U.S. Treasury Secretary, has resigned from Citigroup Inc, following months of criticism of his performance at the bank.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama and a key Democratic lawmaker revealed plans on Friday to overhaul the government's $700 billion financial rescue fund as a way to aid struggling homeowners and speed the flow of credit.

Employers slashed payrolls by 524,000 in December, driving the unemployment rate to its highest level in almost 16 years, a government report showed on Friday, suggesting that the year-long recession was deepening. (Graphic/Reuters)Reuters - The U.S. unemployment rate surged to the highest level in nearly 16 years last month as a deepening year-long recession forced companies to cut payrolls by more than half a million jobs, data showed on Friday.



Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Friday it would consider a challenge to a central provision of the 44-year-old voting rights law aimed at preventing states and local governments from making it harder for minorities to vote.

A foreclosed home is seen in Stockton, California in this May 13, 2008 file photo. A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between financial giant Citigroup Inc  (Robert Galbraith/Files/Reuters)Reuters - A top bank industry group said on Friday that it opposes an agreement between Citigroup Inc and Democratic senators that would rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, saying it could make home loans more expensive.



A man works near a pressure gauge at a district heating plant in Skopje January 8, 2009. (Ognen Teofilovski/Reuters)Reuters - The European Union sought to finalize details on Friday of a gas monitoring deal to allow the resumption of gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine, which have been cut off for days over a pricing row.



An Israeli tank takes position on the border with the Gaza Strip. Tanks and warplanes pounded Gaza Friday as a defiant Israel vowed to pursue a two-week war on Hamas despite a truce order from the UN Security Council and amid warnings of dwindling food supplies.(AFP/David Buimovitch)AFP - Tanks and warplanes pounded Gaza Friday as a defiant Israel vowed to pursue a two-week war on Hamas despite a truce order from the UN Security Council and amid warnings of dwindling food supplies.



The Sirius Star is anchored off the coast of Somalia in November 2008. Somali pirates said Friday they had freed the Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago wreaked panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.(AFP/US Navy/File)AFP - Somali pirates said Friday they had freed a Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago caused panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action.




Who Are The Underminers?

How many of you had the experience growing up of being told... Read More

The Shattered Identity

I. ExpositionIn the movie "Shattered" (1991), Dan Merrick survives an accident and... Read More

Turning Your Life Over To God and Trusting Him To Lead You Is Like . . . . .

. . . . . riding a roller coaster for the very... Read More

Eight Choices You Can Make Today that Will Change Your Life Forever

The direction of our lives is determined by the choices we make... Read More

You Are a Beautiful Person

I wish that I could tell every person that I meet that... Read More

Self Help When Youre In Debt

It's no fun being in debt.Money shortages are always stressful and serious... Read More

Taking Life Head On

"We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals and we... Read More

5 Tips To Add More Spice To Your Life

1. Once a week, visit somewhere you've never been before. A city,... Read More

Contemptable Temptation

Let's look at the lesson we should all pay attention to in... Read More

Everyone Has Been Hurt... Part 4

Continued...After that I stayed with him still and when he would hit... Read More

A Feline Example On Courage

Fangs. Killer claws. Hisses, grrrs...and later, yelps. Who is not familiar with... Read More

H-U-G-S -------The More You Give----The More You Get!

How many of us couldn't use a hug on a daily basis----------well,... Read More

Life is a Mystery...or is it?

Being the last of three daughters, I was a suprise to my... Read More

A Word Fitly Spoken ~ Acceptance

A WORD FITLY SPOKENA word fitly spoken is like apples of gold... Read More

The Creative Evolution of Intellectual Properties: The Royal Critters/Whale Magic (TM) Project

Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!The moral of that story is to follow your instincts... Read More

Revenge in the End is Bitter Sweet

We ALL think or have thought about it at one time or... Read More

Tighten Your Connection

It was my first and last experience with a pneumatic drill, which... Read More

Whats Your Reason For Waiting?

The fever had been high late into the night, but at 2:30... Read More

There Must Be A Way Out!

He was pushing a cart containing crates of soft drinks and followed... Read More

Essential Ingredient

Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 15, 2003I have... Read More

Unintended Consequences

Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 26, 2003My sister... Read More

Fear Factor

What is it that stops you from jumping off a 5 story... Read More

A Teller Of Tales

Direct Answers - Column for the week of June 10, 2002I told... Read More

5 Simple Tips On Using Your Senses

1. Breakfast in Bed.Imagine a lavish breakfast arrives brimming over with sweet... Read More

America, A Depository Of The Gifts Of The World

Wow, it's a new year and a new millennium! What a privilege... Read More

Struggling With Addictions

What kind of bad habits do you struggle with? Most people think... Read More

Favorite Quotations... What Do They Say About Us?

Have you stopped to think what your favorite quotes are saying about... Read More

Thoughts Are Like Seeds - Are You Planting Flowers or Weeds?

"You can't harvest what you don't sow. So plant your desires, gently... Read More

Does Introspection Assist in Self Progression?

Why would we need to examine our lives? What benefit does it... Read More

Ignorance and Fantasy

Are beliefs not often the children of ignorance and fantasy? Consider the... Read More

Choicemaking: Self-Help Secrets Revealed

We all assume that making choices is a simple process. We see... Read More

Are You Really Living Your Life Today!

Yesterday I was but a child, looking. Looking ahead at a world... Read More

A Plan Of Attack

Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 28, 2002I feel... Read More

If You Were an Angel... What Would You Do?

If you were an Angel what could you do to make a... Read More

Brilliant Autumn: Reaping a Bounteous Harvest

"But if in your thought you must measure time into seasons, let... Read More

Create 10 Delightful Daily Habits

Practising extreme self-care in our life involves practising good "daily" habits. Daily... Read More

Its The Little Things That Count

Have you ever been in the situation where you have become so... Read More

One Woman?s Story of How Her Smile Increased Her Confidence

For one who takes pride in being involved with different community organizations,... Read More

Change Your Landscape by Seeing with New Eyes

A Story (Source Unknown) ? One day a very wealthy father took... Read More

Small Steps, Great Strides

Sacred space, sacred timeBelieve in your personal power, retrieve if lostExplore, enhance... Read More

You Are The One, There is No One Else

At the time I created my web site, I was looking for... Read More

The Meaning of Life - Not Just Another Dust in the Wind Theory

I grew up in the south in the 1960's. Married when I... Read More

Money or Faith?

I've been to 64-countries, and yes money comes in handy, and goes... Read More

Trusting Your Genius Within

Comments about New Theories in the Professions and Business!I recall reading an... Read More

How I Made $10,000 In One Day By Swimming Underwater!

"Without health, life is not life; it is only a state of... Read More

How To Deal With Shyness

Although shyness can be overcome, there is a fair chance that certain... Read More

On Stand-by

Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 28, 2003My wife... Read More