Still Standing…

“You don’t know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have”~Unknown

This week a young lady told me her house was broken into twice this month, two friends died this week and her best friend got robbed at a red light.  She could not concentrate on any one task for too long and found it hard to sit still.  She complained about not needing to be at work and wanting to just cry all day.  I saw a story about a woman who contracted a flesh-eating disease earlier this month and has had her leg, a foot and both hands amputated.  She is reported to be in high spirits and responded “Lets do this” when told about her amputations.  Her father says every breath she takes is a gift, she sat up for 5 hours when doctors only expected about an hour out of her hospital bed.  Not to make light of either situation but the reactions are very different in comparison.  Throughout life you will experience trials, heartache, and loss.  Your reaction is what determines your outcome.  Life can give you a thousand reasons to throw in the towel, many reasons to walk away and many more to give up on life itself.  These times are when you find out things about yourself you may have never known. “If you think your problems are big, listen to someone else’s and you will see yours are small in comparison”.

My chorus for today: “Found hope in my heart, I found the light to light my way out of the dark.  Found all that I need, here inside of me.  I thought I’d never find my way, I thought I’d never lift that weight, I thought I would break.  I didn’t know my own strength and I crashed down, and I tumbled but I did not crumble.  I got through all the pain, I didn’t know my own strength…”~Whitney Houston