Bumpy roads

I have been reflecting a lot lately on life, and the paths that it takes us down, particularly those paths that seem like they may be to rough to handle.  As I think of some of my loved ones who are going through great personal strife, my heart aches to find them answers and bring them comfort.  The older I get the more I realize that sometimes no matter how bad I want to, I just can't help the people I love.  While this is a difficult for me to swallow I also realize that as cliche' as it sounds, life's pitfalls and how we handle them shape who we are and will become.  My only hope as I watch the people I love struggle to find peace, is that through their struggles, they will find a new stronger version of themselves. 

 I think back to some of my own greatest personal struggles, and how they have changed me and what I have learned.  I often struggle with the question as to why some people must experience so much pain and sorrow and I have come to the conclusion that the greater our ability is to embrace and recover from our darkest times, the greater our ability is to love, smile, and see the small wonders and moments of beauty that life has to offer.