The past as indicator of the future

My Brother, Bobbe, has been making a series of posts on his blog, which you can
link to from my link bar, talking about the past life he used to have, and how he has
come to be where he is now. Bobbe and I have similar backgrounds, not in the details,
but in the overall. I was lucky enough to avoid the homes.
One thing that stands out in his posts, and conversations we've had about them,
is the way that we are not what was predicted for us. For the most part, we are successfull,
fairly well adjusted, albeit weird, adults. And not one person from that former life would have thought it possible.
There are things that you cannot tell people who haven't lived it, and things that no one
would ever think effect you like they do, and to those people, I say good, you do not want to
know what that life is, or what it does to you, but it does not lead to a good life, on the average.
Not many people make it out, much less end up leading a non-borderline life.

There is no amount of sympathy that can help you through this, there is just hard work, realization, tears, and the encouragement and support of close friends, who in reality
are the families we chose for ourselves. No individual comes through this alone, and you lose
a lot through the process, but it does make you more appreciative of what helped you through it.

So, in the spirit of what I am appreciative for, and all who made this possible, I'd like
to say thanks for believing in me, and giving me the strength to be what I am now;
Jae, Mushtaq, Bobbe, Marc, Don, Todd & Tiel, Brandt Bollers, the V-boys, the GPC 's,
Aaron, Erin, and many more.