I have enough guilt to start my own religion

Being raised in an Italian-Irish Catholic home can only result in the child growing up oozing guilt of their pores. There's an old saying by Jonas Salk that goes, "Good parents give their children roots and wings." My sister always said that our parents gave us roots and weights. This pretty much describes my upbringing. I rarely made any major decisions in my life without the consent and advice of my mother. True, she was usually right, but still, there comes a time to wing it on your own.

So, today, I'm winging it on my own. But still, the guilt surfaces on a regular basis. Woody Allen has always said that he can't have a good time when someone else is suffering. I've always been that way. When I see the incredible joy on my nephew, Cooper's, face, how he's showered with love, affection, and more toys than a Toys R Us store, my brain immediatly jumps to the poor child with nothing. When I feel incredible happiness, I quickly switch over to those less fortunate. Take Bryan, for example.

Knowing how this guy is suffering without me puts a damper on all the happiness I'm experiencing. True, he brought all of this on himself, but I still feel responsible for his pain and have this need to help him find the road to happiness. I'm one of those people who can't pass up a homeless person on the street or even guys with signs like, "Need food for family," "Will work for food," or even, "Need beer to survive." I quickly fumble through my purse to find the money.

I've been called Mother Teresa. A compliment? Not really. Try getting a good night's sleep when you're Mother Teresa. It just doesn't happen. So I go through life, trying to have a good time, attempting to keep the guilt from ruining my life.

"When we played softball, I'd steal second base, feel guilty and go back."
-- Woody Allen