What Does Your Life Hold?

Is your life full of laughter, or does it hold a few tears? Is your life perfect, and without problems or are there little things that come up every now and then, in which you place worries, doubts and fears before you? There will always be storms come into our lives, but hopefully, there will always be rainbows, sunshine & laughter as well.



No matter what our lives may hold or how difficult they might seem, all we need to do is to look around us and listen to the stories of others to learn what trials and tribulations others must face. Listening to the stories of others will quickly make you realize that your trials are perhaps not so bad.



Have you ever looked at someone, and judged them by the size of their home, the type of car they have, the size or color of their body, the things they seem to have or not have, the cleanliness and organization of their home, or perhaps the way they dress? Have you ever stopped to really think about what the other person might be dealing with on the inside and within their lives? Are things really the way they appear on the outside, or is there more?



Have you ever stopped to think about the storms that could possibly come into a person's life? Have you ever really stopped to take a look around you and allow your eyes to see beyond the outer extremities of a person's life and situation and place in life, and truly looked inside?



I like to always remember back to that old phrase that I heard often when I was growing up….and that was that "you can't ever judge a book by its cover". You can't judge a person by the clothes they wear or the way they look or the house that they have or don't have. You can't judge a person's life by those outward things either.



We all have different stories and lives to view. We all go thro' different emotions and trials and storms in our lives, and often those things are kept hidden within our lives just like the pages of a book that someone has never opened.



Have you ever stopped to ask how a person is, or how they feel, or if everything is truly ok in their life? Don't always assume that a person has money because they live in a big house, or that they are lazy because they don't seem to accomplish the same things as you. Don't always assume that a person feels fine because by all outward appearances they look great, or that because they look happy their life must be great. We all deal with things differently and we all have different things in our lives that others are really not aware of. We all have things in our lives that others cannot even comprehend or understand because they have not walked a day in our life.



I can't help thinking about this each time another storm arises within my life and the turmoil and stress of that situation feel like more than I can deal with or endure. I'm not trying to make it sound like I'm able to bear up through every storm, or that my life is anymore difficult or easier than anyone else, because I know it's not. We each have our cross to bear, our wheelbarrow full of manure to get rid of, our financial burden's to cope with, our own struggles and pain to endure. We all have good days and bad days, but that doesn't make our lives any less or more important that anyone else's.





What is important is how we deal with all of these things, and how we react to others. Do we open our hearts and souls to others or reach out to them when we see them struggling or are we just too caught up in all the things we are dealing with ourselves?



Are we willing to reach out to others and to listen to what they have to say or share, or do we close our eyes and think only of ourselves, unable to even consider anyone else?



I sure know what it feels like to struggle with things and to go thro' difficulties, but I also don't feel that my problems are any greater or less than others. They are just very difficult for me to go thro' and my problems. They are my own struggles and storms that I personally face.



What I value most through these struggles and trials is the value of friends and someone who I can turn to when I need to. Friends are the most precious gifts in life that I have learned to value and treasure. Through both good times and bad times my friends are there for me to encourage, listen, help, cry and laugh with. They are true friends who will listen to my needs, my joys, my accomplishments, and my failures. They will be there for me when I need someone, and in turn I will do the same.



No matter how many storms come my way, I know I will do ok in my life, because God has blessed me with the gift of some very special friends who truly care about me.



One day I realized all of that as I found myself faced with some problems that seemed overwhelming. I was upset and hurt by somethings that had happened, but a special friend was there for me. Through talking and sharing, I also learned of some things she was dealing with. We spent the afternoon together, and by the time we left and went our separate ways we were both feeling a lot better and glad that we had been able to spend time with one another.



I am blessed in my life because I do have some very special friends!