During this time of year, when the weather is cold and the days are short, I think of all the seeds lying in wait deep underground. I think of the beauty that comes in spring, even now while the leaves are dying when there seems to be no color or life at all. I think of all the life that is still yet to come.
This is how life works. There is a cycle to the seasons, and so too to our lives. I wish I could say that in life we will not have our own winters – but we will. I wish I could promise a life without challenges, but I cannot promise that. To be alive is to have challenges. Moments where we might want to ask, “Why is this happening to me, God?” Moments when we might want to say “Hey, I am a good person. Look at all the good I’ve done. I gave some money when I could. I helped some friends when they needed me. I don’t steal. I didn’t kill anyone. Why is this happening to me?”
The key to overcoming these moments is to see them for what they truly are: Opportunities to learn, to grow and to inch ever closer towards fulfillment.
When we find that life has thrown us a curve ball and things get tough, let us try to put ourselves in a space where we can appreciate that everything is happening for our own good, even if we cannot see quite why. A space where we trust the wisdom of the Universe.
We soar to great heights when we recognize that there is good in whatever hardship we find ourselves facing. Oftentimes, by changing our perception just slightly, we can appreciate each challenge as an important and vital step to where we are going next.
Each one of us, I hope, can look back at our lives and see how some of the most difficult experiences gave birth to some of our biggest blessings. I bet we can even say we are grateful that our prayers at the time were not answered.
This week, look for the Light in the darkness. Find the diamond in the rough. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the white silvery winter landscape. Be willing to see that a seed cannot grow anywhere else but in the cold, dark soil of the Earth. Give yourself the self-love to see that whatever is going on in your life right now is for your own good. Whatever obstacle you may face is a part of the best path for that good to find its way to you. Trust in the process of the seasons and the cycles of life. For after night, comes the day, as after winter comes spring.
And remember, what will help you to stay strong through your hard times is to help others through theirs. Be there for a friend when they need support. Call them up to see how they are doing. Give them a hug. Let people know you are there. Be the best wife, sister, mother, friend, father, brother you can be. Knowing we are not alone is sometimes all we need to make it through the winter until the beautiful flowers bloom once again.
Originally published at kabbalah.com