Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

[countryboy]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

September 11th, 2001 and war.

[davin]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

One of these would fall under life changing experience, and the other would fall under an experience that changes how you look at the world.

1. (Life changing experience): When I was in London days after the 7/7 bombings, when eating lunch in a small pizza place we had an armed guard come in and tell us to get away from the windows and get behind the counters. Scary experience. However, being in London at that exact time period was something special, London was united. I wasn't in New York or Washington following 9/11, but I imagine that same feeling was also in those places. I wouldn't say it was something that was "cool" to be apart of, as I wish it didn't happen at all, but it certainly left an impression on me about the human spirit. By the end of that trip, I had decided to really turn things around with my life.

2. Back around my 12th birthday. My mother is a travel agent, and we got offerred a free cruise (with balcony stateroom) for a 3 day cruise (in october). We took it, but Hurricane Irene was in the area, however was supposed to clear out by the time we set sail. Turns out Irene took a turn right at us, and the ship wasn't able to get away from it. 45 foot seas, gusting winds. It was just crazy to look out the window and see decks 6 and 7 getting blasted by water. For reference, usually decks 5 and 6 (or 6,7) have a deck where you can sit out, you can bet nobody was there. I remember laying in bed, feeling the ship being tossed around on the waves. Everybody ended up either getting their money back or got deals for future disney cruises/vacations. We didn't however, as we were there for free in the first place, I don't blame them. It really reminds you just how powerless we are compared to nature. We might claim to master the seas or the skies, but we never really will.

[Karlos05]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

The first time I had White Castle.

[Scott]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

getting a DWI about 2 years ago. I'll never forget it because it was the day Italy played the US in the WC and I watched it from the holding pen. Besides the lawyer fees, court fines, alcholol classes, and restricted license it changed my life for the better. I rarely drink anymore and I'm paranoid about driving when I've had a drink. DUI's suck but DUI's in Virginia are even worse.

I'm going through the exact same thing currently and man it does suck

[ARG190]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Decided to take a brand new truck my parents bought me off-roading when I was 17. End result...30 foot flames, handcuffs, and a felony property damage charge slapped on me by the land owner. After my court costs, my brief jail time, a year of probation, and no truck, I realized I needed to not be a **** up.

[PVarck31]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

My father is a retired police officer. In the early spring of 1997 an officer at the department was shot and killed in the line of duty. He was chasing a suspect when the suspect drew a gun and fired back at him multiple times. He was hit in the shoulder and knocked to the ground. The suspect then decided to run back to him, as the officer tried to draw his weapon he was shot in the hand, then then chest. As he begged for his life the suspect then shot him in the head, killing him.

This really messed me up for a while. Knowing it could have just as easily been my dad. It was very traumatic for a 17 year old to deal with.

[youvalss]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

When my grandpa died in 1998 I then realized that life has an end. I mean, of course I knew that but I never gave any attention to that. Suddenly I started to think that some day I'm gonna be an old man and look at young people and wish I were young too. I mean, we're used to look at other people and see the OTHERS as old, but some day it will be us. And that's it, u're old and there's nothing u can do about it. And others will look at me and think "he's old, I'm young". I mean, it's hard for people to look at an old man and see the young man he once was.

[Beantown]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

For me, a big one was my dad needing to go in for emergency double-bypass surgery.

He and I were the only two home that day, my mother/sisters were out on a college tour, and my dad was on and off the phone with his doctors all day. I was about 10 or 11 at the time and had, honestly, never stayed home alone because I found my house to be scary as hell, and not only did I have to stay home alone until my mom and sister got home that night...I had to stay home alone, with no one to talk to or to reassure me, while I knew my dad was on his way to the hospital for a chest problem.

Later that night my mom told me he was going in for emergency surgery as one of his arteries was 99% blocked and the other was 100% blocked. As a ten year old...hearing those words I thought that was the night I was going to lose my father. Luckily, he made it through the surgery...though, going to see him in the hospital the next day, with all the wires and tubes coming out of him, was easily the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

[bjf1377]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Couple things:

- Both of my grandparents in Arizona died within 3 years of each other while I was in high school. The other two had died before I reached 4, so I was sitting there in my senior year of HS realizing I no longer had any grandparents.
- My aunt died of brain cancer my freshman year of college
- My friend got diagnosed with leukemia my sophomore year of college. While he is doing better, it was still scary as hell
- I've been dealing with depression since halfway through my sophomore year, and it has its extreme ups and downs, but its shaping who I am and eventually will be.

[Blzer]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

...


When my best friend died four years ago.

He was seriously that kind of kid that had the most positive outlook on life... all friends, no enemies, and was looking like he had a great shot to be drafted by an MLB team as a pitcher (no kidding). He really changed my outlook on life. These days, I feel I'm taking his role now... all except for being a great pitcher.

I also thank my parents for raising me the way they did, but this event was seriously life-changing.

[PVarck31]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Battled depression something awful my junior year of college ('97-'98). 12 months of pure hell, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It shaped who I am today.

I had a serious bout with major depression for over a year. I got much better, but then I was hit hard with anxiety. I am still battling the anxiety today. Its much better and under more control now. Although I it still hits me hard sometimes though.

[Beantown]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Add another check under the "depression shaping who I am and will be" category for me.

[thegoons21]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

Wow so many seemingly negative things......kind of surprised. Not many my kid, my wife, winning the lotto, Patriots perfect season, j/k.

Mine was the birth of my daughter. Nothing slaps you in the face to grow up and get your ish together than a beautiful little girl staring back up at you completely helpless.

and..

9/11. Was in New York(Queens) til Monday for a hockey tournament. Took off from work at the Pentagon that Monday and Tuesday to recover from said hockey tournament. I have a creepy picture dated 9/10/01 looking into Manhattan and the towers form the Verizano? birdge on our way out of town. Weirded me out after I got the camera developed. And taking off that Tuesday goes without saying.....

[Hokie20]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

April 16 last year -- the shootings at Tech.

I was in class in the largest classroom on campus. The shooter walked right by the building on the way to the post office to send that package to NBC.

The whole day seemed like a blur. It hit me hard. I'm making the homage back to Blacksburg next week for the one-year anniversary.

[DC]

Re: Have Any Of You Ever Had Any Life Changing Experiences

For me it was the year 1991. I

n January my Grandfather died after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, by the end he didn't even know who I was, which for an 11 year old who is the only grandchild is pretty hard to go through.

It took time to go over, then in May/June a close family friend who was basically like my second Grandfather (my biological paternal grandfather died before my mother was even born) committed suicide when he his cancer went out of remission.

Then in October of the same year my father died from a rare strain of pneumonia after battling leukemia for three years. When this happened his estate took forever to settle because of the way my Grandmother wrote her will. We went from living a very comfortable lifestyle to having nothing, my mother raided a trust fund left for me to pay the mortgage and then to buy a new home in Burlington.

It was around this time I came to the realization there is in fact no God, and if there is a God it certainly isn't one who is worthy of worship. This is what I learned at a young age (don't respond to this part) from losing every male I had in my wife within 9 months. What made this worse is my mother left me in Catholic schools for the next 6 years (I went to a Catholic college on my own) where I had to have that crap jammed down my throat. I had one religion teacher go as far as to say those who die of diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's do so because they were sinners who could not be saved. It was a miracle I didn't snap her neck in class honestly, I have my old friend to thank for telling me to let it go, we know who's really going to Hell.

At the end of the year for the first time this teacher had us write reviews of the class. I made the bitch cry and to do this day I take pleasure in doing so. I still hope she dies from one of those diseases, even 12 years later.

Damn what did you write?