Shaped by Struggle by Barry Hughes

This tree catches my eye as I pass through the park each day. It is so tall and yet so NOT straight. It doesn’t appear to be damaged or broken. But clearly somewhere along the way, long ago, some force knocked it off the straight and narrow intended path. But this tree didn’t let the situation stop its growth. It just took a slight detour and kept right on with life. Now it is somewhat striking. Of all the trees around it, this is the one tree you notice, all because it is different. This, the tree that followed a unique path.

As I reflect on the people whom I hold closest to my heart, to those most dear to me, I realize that many of them are special because, they too, are different and followed their own unique paths in life. They stand out in their own way for their own reasons. Some had tough situations early in their lives, but they, like the tree, found a way to keep going and growing. And they thrived.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross writes, “Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings.” It is true that all of creation is shaped by struggle. And sometimes, far down the path, we are able to find some beauty and uniqueness that results from that struggle.

Generous souls who once knew the weight of poverty and need in their own journey. Joyful hearts that have not forgotten their own depths of despair. Kind hands that suffered brutality from the hands of others. Those who share love unbounded through memories of their own loneliness and rejection. These are the people who stand out in my life and in my heart. Like this tree that found a way, they have grown to stand tall. These are the people who are a blessing to me. These are the people who bless the world.

Peace.