There have been times in my life where I couldn’t understand the struggle.  “Why me?” was the background noise in my life.  I felt as if challenges and hard times were punishment.   With age, I suppose, you receive the gift of “retrospect” – that ability to look back and see how the hard times shaped you, proved you could live through things you didn’t think were possible, and commonly were the answers to your prayers.  For me, I remember feeling like I didn’t matter.  I was just another kid in the family, another student in the class, another worker on the schedule or another girl someone didn’t want to date.   But diabetes made me understand that I did matter, that putting my needs first was OK and in fact, a healthy way to live.  Facing your own mortality will do that, I suppose, and you cling to life a whole lot tighter with a lot more intention.

If struggle and “why me?” seem to be the backdrop of your life, know that it will pass.  Know there is purpose – to you as well as your struggles.  See if there is a lesson to learn.  And most importantly don’t hang on to yesterday’s thoughts.  Find one little thing today that you like and then choose it.  Choose to feel better.  Choose to enjoy this season before its gone.