You can’t be brave if you only had wonderful things happen to you.
-- Mary Tyler Moore

What if there was always sunshine on your winter parade? What if everything you ever dreamed of and wished for came true at the drop of a hat or at the tinkle of a bell? What if you had no suffering, no loss, no pain? Sounds great at first thought, huh? But, would you, could you, really appreciate living? Would all the sun-drenched days you’ve lived make you strong, search your soul, trust yourself, create the best you available, and rise through the flood and fire to every occasion? Would it matter that there was one day then another; sun up then sun down? Would it all be as the Quester surmises in the Ecclesiastes – nothing new under the sun, just smoke and spit in the wind?

Given that wonderful things don’t always happen, suppose that after every hardship, you latched on to the gift of peacefulness, and during every loss and bout with pain, you held tightly to the assurance that God is right there in it to guide you through, bless you dearly, and love you absolutely? And just imagine that on the other side of grief and misfortune, there is a pool of refreshing water in which to bathe your skin and Soul so that you can birth peace, plenty, love, new life, self-care, expectation, resiliency, fearlessness, wisdom, and contentment. The opportunity for a new you, a fiercer and fresher breath, and a better sip for your Spirit are right there - sitting just over the mountain of your struggles.

No parade is without rain and no dream ever comes true at its first whisper. You gotta go through to get to the good stuff, to be the best Self. Be blessed as you wade through.

Sadiqqa © 2007