I’m perched in the swing this morning, eating my bagel, drinking hot coffee from my favorite bird mug, enthralled with the butterflies lightly tap dancing on the pansies, the butterflies’ ballerina costumes complemented by the oranges, yellows, and dark purples of the pansy blossoms. Fall flowers are so beautiful when the deep shades of color are kissed by the sun’s rays. Mother Nature’s fall palette for her watercolor brushes is my most favorite. Her earth colored leaf paintings are so pretty this year.

Been watching the clouds this morning, too. Sometimes the clouds look like vanilla ice cream, other times like delicious mounds of whipping cream, then they turn cigar smoke gray and boil up with purple and blue shades only to float away stingily withholding their raindrops. The earth is parched, needing the healing rain showers from heaven. Even the squirrels are drinking water from the bird baths now.

Been reading quotes today searching for inspiration. I love this quote — “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern,” — Elizabeth Kübler Ross.

I think we have to be touched with defeat and suffering to truly appreciate the beauty of life. It’s such a human trait to not appreciate what we have till it’s gone. Life is so short and we make it so hard to travel by not accepting the path God has put before us. No matter how much we try to control things, we are not in control. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” Jeremiah 29:11. We need to live our lives as ourselves with our own hopes, our own dreams, not placing ourselves in the world’s mold. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will,” Romans 12:2.

Pray to God for guidance when life gets hard. Everyone will experience pain and suffering in life but how we weather those storms determine our outlook on life. We can accept these moments and cry in the darkness, calling out for God to help us find the light of love again, the will to keep living or we can bemoan our belief and question God, living in darkness without faith. We can renew our faith in God with an understanding that he’s always standing by our side, listening to our cries for help in our prayers. He hears our prayers and carries our burdens. God’s hands are always outstretched to comfort us and catch us when life’s sorrow knocks us down.

We should always let kindness and compassion guide our actions and words. We never know the burdens others are carrying on their walk through life. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary, and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.” God will heal our hearts and bring us peace.

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.” — Lao Tzu