In life we all encounter a point in time where we have to draw the line between right and wrong. I don't know about you, but I've had quite a few opportunities lately to draw the line on what I believe is right and wrong and how long to allow something to continue before you say something or do something to make it stop.  Before you continue reading this, be warned that it's not the light type of post that I usually make. This is something that has been weighing on my conscience for quite some time and need to vent about so that I can let it go and move on.  Writing a blog, after all,  is not only meant to share your passions and experiences, but it's also meant to be a catharsis to allow you to express yourself and your opinion freely without anyone stifling it.

When someone you love is being victimized whether it's by a boss, coworker, friend, family member or spouse, it's so difficult to sit idly by and do nothing.  No one is perfect and I'm not in any place to judge anyone for anything.  For the most part, I try to stay out of other people's business unless they push me into it or involve me in some way in which case I'm stuck in the middle and I have to draw the line.  I typically play the role of peace keeper but in this specific instance lately I did take a side and I stand by it.  Have any of you watched someone you love dearly get used, abused (emotionally and/or physically) or cheated on?  It's the hardest thing in the world to do nothing, even if the friend or relative asks you not to.

Someone oh so dear to my heart has been victimized lately by a spouse and I'm not going to give names or anything but let's just say this person was my buddy and pal my entire life and I will always love that person until the day I die. Watching the supposed "soul mate/spouse" treat someone you love like garbage is so hard because unless they ask for your opinion, you stay out of it.  For years I've sat by and let both parties vent to me and I give them objective, neutral and peaceful opinions to encourage them to work it out and make peace with each other.  Then someone takes it too far and goes to a place so dark that it's hard to come back from.

Let's just say I don't like cheats, especially ones who do it while married with children. I really don't like cheats who do it and then bully their spouse so badly that they try to shift blame and make the innocent party feel like they did something to deserve it. Watching someone you love take the emotional abuse and heartache and blame themselves for the spouse's lack of self-control can be quite infuriating.

Where would you draw the line before you said something? Would you say anything? Would you continue to allow the person who is wrong to mess with the victim's head and make them blame themselves for the cheater's lack of self control? If the cheat was sorry, that would be one thing but they refuse to give up the job where they work with the person they had an affair with and they bully and manipulate the victim.  It's heartbreaking and frustrating to watch the family crumble and see the darling children stuck in the middle.  Children who did nothing wrong yet suffer worse than either parent.

I know I am rambling but I just needed to vent. What do you think?  When should the victim draw the line? I just hate to see someone go through such emotional abuse at the hands of someone who promised to love them till death do they part....

Thanks for letting me vent. I feel better already.  Sigh.

"Distant Horizons" © 2012 What Jean Likes Photography

As I am attempting to get back into the flow of blogging as I've been pretty M.I.A. lately (with the exception of my Aloha Friday Blog Hop), I've decided to post a Photo of the Day.  I don't know if it's going to be exclusively my photos or not but every day I will be sharing a photo with all of you.  Perhaps I'll join one of those photo-a-day challenges for the year.  I've seen other blogs with them and I find them interesting and fun to read.  If you get a chance, check out my gallery of fine art and people photos!!  www.whatjeanlikesphotography.com

Have you ever felt isolated and just so consumed with life and your daily comings and goings that you loose the free time you used to treasure to do other things?  Well I sure as heck know how it feels.  I don't know if you've noticed (though I'm sure you have), What Jean Likes blog has been sadly neglected lately.  I've been so consumed with my day job that by the time I get around to writing, I'm so exhausted and wiped out that I've passed out at my computer desk several times.  Yeah, not so awesome.  

Ah the joys of being a single mother with a full job and a photography business to run who also decides to write a blog!! Hahaha. That's why I'm literally up at nearly 4 am typing this...it's the only free time I have (and I just woke up after falling asleep at my computer desk a couple hours ago). 

Though What Jean Likes blog has been on the downturn lately, I do have some really lovely things to share with you all soon and lots of photos and posts to get up on the blog.  The photo above is from my hike up Makapu'u in the thick vog (volcanic fog that is hot and full of sulfur from the volcano that rolls in from the Big Island of Hawai'i).  It creates this awful haze that just chokes you as you walk and creates a balmy, sweaty, hot weather situation that isn't cute or good for your lungs, hair or skin.  Yay!

I don't know why I decided to go hiking when there was vog.  It was probably just the fact that I had some free time and my son loves the outdoors so I decided to indulge him and hiked with him and a 50 lb backpack full of my camera gear.  Yeah I'm smart like that ;)  Despite the heat, the hard breathing and the backpack I shouldn't have brought with me, the hike turned out to be a fun time with my son.  He's awesome though, so it's not hard having a good time with him.

What have all of you been up to? Let me know in the comments!! I miss truly interacting with all of you!! I hope you have a wonderful and lovely Aloha Friday and if you haven't already, please stop by this week's Aloha Friday blog hop to make some new friends and get some more followers!!!  (Oh and let's not forget the great giveaway going on!!)