Day 35: The Sun Comes Up

This morning I was driving to work and noticed how beautiful the trees looked with the coating of snow.  The sun was shining so brightly it made the branches look like they were sparkling.  I was grateful for the sun that rises each morning; this turned out to be more powerful than I thought it would be.

Things happen every day that cannot be explained.  There are tragedies and miracles that create a sense of wonder that often reminds me of how small I am in this infinite universe.  When the good things happen it's often easy to accept them and continue on with our day - the baby who emerges unharmed from the rubble of an earthquake, dogs who find their way home after tornadoes rip through a small town, a tree falls and narrowly misses the house with a family sitting down for dinner.  These are amazing tales that allow us to accept there is good in the world, and a renewed faith in miracles.

It becomes difficult to remember these moments of hope in the face of tragedy.  When two explosions shake the streets of Boston; when a child is killed in an accidental shooting; when an accident changes the course of a friend's life - miracles becomes harder to accept.  This is when I start to think about the "why?"  What purpose is there for tragedy in the world?  Why do bad things need to happen at all?  It's one of the most frustrating questions asked, because there is often never an answer.

We may never know why bad things happen.  We may never find out why things happened to us that caused pain and suffering.  I am trying to accept this.  I think sometimes I don't want to know why everything happens.  I want to put my faith in God and believe that he has a plan.  That is much easier to say and write than actually put into practice.  Of course I want to know why I lost my Dad so early in my life, and why I struggle with depression and anxiety, and why a family is currently attempting to cope with a devastating situation.  I will probably never know the answers to any of these questions.  I don't think anyone will be able to tell me why these things have happened.  It becomes overwhelming to think about all the things I don't have answers for - so I turn to the things I understand and can depend on.

I am grateful for things I can hold on to in times of confusion. The things that I know will happen each day.  The sun will rise and set each and every day.  The stars will shine at night. It's basic and simple, but when everything else in my life is a jumble of "why's" it's nice to have a few things that I don't have to question.  When I go to bed tonight I will have a lot of questions in my mind and many things weighing heavy on my heart, but I know that tomorrow morning the sun will shine. I am grateful that the sun will always come up the next day.