OK, so I lied. Episode 11 was not the end of the season. Well, it was so I call this an Addendum so as to try to assuage my guilt of fibbing. But it wasn'...

Anyway, there is good reason for the end of the year episode. LIFE IS GOOD! 

I gotta believe that the past year of Becoming Frank has definitely helped me to become, well, me again!

I started the year with anger issues, endured bouts of suicidal darkness through the year and have emerged, through discussing my stuff, in a good place. I'm in a good relationship with a great woman, got a new job paying me decent wages in the field I'm skilled in. and am generally, pretty friggin' content.

Now, I'm no fool so I know the depression will come and go and the demons are always waiting right under the surface for us to slip so they can take over again, but I know that as long as we shine the light, the demons are not so scary and we can banish them forever.

This is probably the final episode of Becoming Frank. It was a great learning experience. Putting the podcast together, publishing it, finding out that some people actually did listen. All good. 

This final episode deals with discovering a long ago incident that I had repressed. One that quite honestly had to have shaped the entire way I lived my life up to this point, but that won't define me going forward. Also touches upon my To / For philosophy that gets tested by the event from the past. And finally, reminds me and you that we are the light that shines out in the world. We aren't always burning brightly but we are always capable of it. 

Sometimes we need the darkness to see the light within us.

This episode is a bit rambling but I touch upon a few things that have been rattling around in my brain.

How being alone is ok as long as we use the time to work on ourselves, rediscovering our beacons of light and resisting the blackholes of negativity that try to steal it. Missing talking to my mom now that I have these repressed memories coming back in my sobriety.

This episode deals with my recognition of my inability to empathize properly, the parental influence that may have helped create it and learning to change my reactions to my triggers to create better environments for all involved in my circle.

Not too much to complain about or to fix this week! Life has been pretty smooth sailing. Lots of good things and positivity flowing. Glad to be in my current frame of mind so this episode will be pretty boring. Happiness is boring in the best way possible! Oh, and I turn 55 this week which led to a pleasant little numerical surprise that made a tempting decision very easy! Enjoy. Much love, peace and happiness to everyone.

The past six weeks have been quite a ride. I was riding high from helping a friend and finding what might be my purpose. Then I went into a dark place while trying to get my car fixed for weeks and finally,  I met up with old friends and rediscovered a part of me that had been buried for awhile.  The peaks and valleys can be a bit extreme but the journey is beautiful and ongoing!

Last episode I brought up an old affair my ex-wife had some 25 years ago. I didn't realize how much it still hurt and for how long I had hurt myself over it until I mentioned it again. It was time to accept it and release it so I can move forward and become truly passionate again. 

This week we begin with a follow up on last week's Brother's Birthday meltdown by explaining in more detail and unpacking the root of its cause. The main portion is devoted to finally dealing with old heartbreak, the loss of trust and  infidelity to release and heal the pain from the past so we can stop trying to go back and instead leap forward. Don't think I've personally been very successful in that regard but it starts with acknowledgment and recognition before reconciliation and peace can settle in. Thanks for listening!