I think we all go through days where the weight of the world is heavy on our shoulders. Sometimes these days drag into weeks, sometimes months. There are times when life seems dark, ugly, stormy, where getting out of bed in the morning is more an obligation than a choice. Most of us eventually come out of the tunnel, though from inside, the light can be hard to see, and the journey can be long. Sometimes we turn to friends, family, God, or look deep within ourselves to find the courage and the strength and the motivation to keep moving in the right direction. Sometimes, though, it's hard to stay on the path, to find the light, and to follow it until it's within arm's reach. But when we emerge, the warmth of that light is beautiful, the sun through the clouds is the most magnificent, the rewards are the greatest.
Every adversity, though, provides the opportunity to learn a great life lesson. It's all about perspective, and sometimes you just need to know where to look for the inspiration to get you through. Sometimes it's a random event, a story of hope, even a little ladybug that can make all the difference. In a stormy, ugly world, we need to remember to that life is about dancing in the rain, not merely weathering the storm.
The impetus behind this blog started from an ugly event, one of those things that makes you feel sick to your stomach at how cruel the world can be. A friend of a friend knew two young men who were involved in a terrible accident, where one young man lost his life. The local news reported snippets within hours after it occurred, with very little information or facts available. The situation was tragic enough to begin with, but as I read some of the comments that had been posted to the article on the news site, I was appalled that some people could be so cruel, so judgemental, so heartless. In frustration, I told my friend Mel that I was annoyed to have to share air with some of these people. I probably should have prayed for them, but instead, I got angry. She and I began a conversation about ugly things in the world, and how hard they are to explain to our young daughters. How do we, as parents, shield our children from these things? How do we raise them to be good people and do good things when there are so many ugly influences in the world? How do we explain why people do bad things? How do we show them the good, the hope, the promise, the light, when there seem to be so many forces working against that?
The idea for this blog was born... a blog about the GOOD in the world. The hope. The inspiration. The promise. The light at the end of the tunnel that can provide you direction and pull you through.
The goal here is to include some original posts, links to other sites / blogs / stories that personify beauty in this sometimes ugly world and in addition, offer this space to guest bloggers who have stories and inspirations to share.
It may be a slow start, I'm a full-time-mom with a full-time-other-job, so time time isn't always on my side. However, having too many good things to blog about is really a positive, and I'm hoping to meet some new friends, inspire a few people, and maybe even pick up some help along the way!
~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~
Blessings,
Kat
