"Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies."
~Erich Fromm ~
Among the people I am close to, here is an array of situations we are dealing with: active alcoholism, stroke recovery, Alzheimer's, depression, joint replacement, grief, chronic pain, salmonella, panic attacks, nerve issues, and autism. And that's the short list. We all have our turn in the barrel.
What helps me is knowing that I am not alone- that we are all struggling, and that we are all faced with challenges that seem impossible to face. And yet, time cycles us round as time does, and we rise and dip. One challenge passes away and then another emerges. We learn, we heal, we feel compassion, and we keep on. Humor sustains us, and community, and the common pleasures of sunlight, gentle breezes, changing seasons, and everlasting love.
I share the challenges of my life experience with others, receive theirs in kind, and together we are strengthened and comforted and strangely blessed.
