Pain gives birth to beauty

Life just happens without a script and without our consent or control things just happen for the good, the better, the bad or even worse. We don't always have explanations as to why things happen to us or around us that we would not wish upon our worst enemy but they happen anyway. We have opportunities with every hand we are dealt to either rise to the occasion or to just give up and give in. When I think of how natural beauty comes about I think of the grain of sand agitating the oyster and it eventually gives birth to a beautiful pearl, the stress and pressure on a lump of coal in a dark mine gives birth to the most sought after stone, the diamond, and most precious of all, after 40 weeks of sheer discomfort and untold hours of LABOR we give birth to our children. Anything worth having in life comes out of some kind of painful transformation or metamorphisis and sometimes we are the butterfly unfolding our wings emerging from our own cacoon. We don't always know why horrible things happen in life but they unfortunately do and the only control we have is in the way in which we respond or react. I hope that I can always rise to the occasion when I am challenged with horrible circumstances or situations and that I can deal with them in a manner in which I can be proud of myself. I am in awe of people that still move forward regardless of their own obstacles where others would have literally given up! I strive everyday to have the strength to monitor my thoughts and actions to make the best choices with the information I have at the time and remain in a positive mindset for the benefit of myself and my family.