“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” – Ben Okri

We go through challenges in life and sometimes those challenges are traumatic and unnecessary, hurtful and dramatic, or afflicting and uncomfortable...sometimes we crash and burn, fall and get back up, or hold our heads high and keep going.  Every trial, test, or tribulation can do either 1 of 2 things; discourage you or motivate you.  Sometimes I find myself singing a song in my head that my mother would sing to me as a child..."I will cast all my cares upon you.  I'll lay all of my burdens down at your feet.  And anytime I don't know what to do.  I will cast all my cares upon you."  It reminds me that everything will be okay.  I can't forget my responsibilities or just quit dealing with an issue and expect that just because I let it go that it'll take care of itself.

No, I have to overcome -- Succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty -- I have to endure -- Suffer patiently -- and then transform -- Cause a change --

Being greater than our suffering doesn't mean to turn your nose up at it and ignore it, it means to believe that we possess the power to see our difficulties and challenge them to remain less than ourselves, empowering us to be the masters of our fate. 

This year has definitely been one of my hardest challenges and at times I've felt like I was hanging by a thread, but one thing keeps me hopeful...my ability to overcome.  No matter how hard the struggle, or how "high the mountain," mercy is new every morning and for some reason I keep getting the chance to redeem myself.  I may feel like the walls are closing in around me, but there's always a door, always a way out, and always hope that the future will be better than the past.

Life is an opportunity, it's a gift and when you've done everything to stand, just stand.