We all know one person

Why is it that when we struggle in the darkness, we fail to see the light?  It is when we are in our deepest moments, we fall inward and forget to look out.  It is in that moment of darkness, the light will show us our way back.   Like many of you, I’ve had a fair share of adversity.  It’s part of life and, in the end the best part. Some of you would ask me, why I say it’s the best?   Adversity teaches us many things, including giving us the gift of strength.  If everything we encountered was easy, what would we learn?  Would we be less than or equal to what we are given in life?  If we are challenged, we become greater than.  Each adversity I’ve faced has given me strength, knowledge and in the end, joy.  I know that I am, now greater than I was at the ages of 16, 40, and 50.  Those numbers represent the larger moments in my life that I HAD to become more, and for those times, I am grateful.  

Life has a way of teaching us profound lessons, often through the experiences that leave us feeling broken, lost, and unsure. But it's in these very moments we can find our greatest strength. I’ve shared with you the milestones that have shaped who I am today. The most important lesson I’ve learned—though painful—was about the cloth. A symbol of care, of compassion, and of the selfless love we give to others. But over time, I learned that the cloth needs to be woven not just for others, but for ourselves as well. From a young age, I felt an innate need to return love and kindness to the world. I learned compassion, empathy, and forgiveness as a child, and those traits have guided me ever since. But the true power in these virtues comes not in giving endlessly, but in giving with balance—setting boundaries, and knowing when to protect our own heart. After a difficult marriage, I set out to prove to myself that I could stand alone, that I could live a life of purpose, love, and givin...