We All Struggle

Raise your hand if you hate trials....oh me, me, me, me! I'm raising my hands, feet, legs, arms, butt, everything! Is that horrible of me to say that?!!? Probably, ha! I know that our purpose in this life is go to through trials, progressing and becoming more Christlike. I get the whole refiner's fire but it doesn't doesn't mean that I always have to like it ;). I'm not one of those people that go through a trial and say I needed that or I am grateful I went through that. I think the closest I have come to saying either of the above is thinking I am grateful I made it through or in major hindsight I have found gratitude for what I learned. One thing that has been affirmed through every trial I have ever had, especially recently is that we ALL struggle. We all have our trials. We are all trying to cope in our each individual way. We all cry silent and painful tears. We all plead to the heavens above. We all have experienced our own heartbreak, aches and losses. We all have far more than we think we can bare at times. We all struggle.

I know that I am guilty of looking at the outside of someone's life and think they had every talent, looks, personality, finance, etc. box checked before they came down to earth. I am guilty of being more or less envious or jealous because I believe what is lacking in my life is abundant in another's. But the more I live through my personal trials/hell and show my humanity to those I trust, two major things have resonated with me. First, no one has this perfect life or anything close to it. It might be my perception as I read their personal or professional blog or see them in person for a quick moment or two. But the truth of their world, heart and mind is not captured in the words of social media or even in the personal exchange of a quick conversation. The truth of their world is earned with trust and friendship. For example, most people in my life do not know my heartacheS and trialS because as much as I document and share, I hold back ten fold.....unless the relationship is there and the mutual trust has been earned I am extremely reluctant to share. So to some they might look at my life and say she has the perfect life (haha okay I don't know if anyone would really think that! Even at first glance we have A LOT "going on" but we will just use it as a vague hypothetical! :)) But I don't! I struggle.....oh I struggle! Just like everyone else!!! And with this knowledge I have gained, I have developed such a greater compassion for others. My heart breaks and loves more easily. I tend to seek to understand more than judge and assume these days. Because while my heart continually and stubbornly breaks, I know that I am not alone. People around me might not have my same trial but we are all experiencing trials that break and mold us and it's painful people! So with that we all have something deeply in common. At the end of the day it's about not feeling alone, even if our trial is our own. It's about comforting and connecting with those around us. It's about lifting one another up and finding our way to the light. It's about finding understanding, peace and a loving embrace. I just hope that I can provide as much comfort to others as I have received because I have been truly blessed by those around me. At the end of the day I hope I can remember that even the person that flips me off, or is completely rude in the store, is struggling in their own way just like me. I hope I can make it a forever goal to be the person that remembers we are all broken and imperfect, me more than most, and lend a hand, ear and heart always, remembering we ALL struggle.