do you have a story?

I have a story.
Do you?
 I think if you are asking yourself right now if you have a story, then you may not have one...yet.  And if you do have a story, you thought of it quickly and maybe even nodded, or said aloud...Yes!
 My friend calls them "crap" stories.
That might be an adequate term.  Some people have lots of them.
Some maybe not so much.
But I think we all KNOW people who have crap stories.
 And they are all different and unique to us.

 I'm talking about the stories of experiences in our lives that may grab us,
 that blindside us and take us on rides we never imagined or maybe never even wanted.  The stories that shake us to the core and bring us to our knees.
The stories that bring out things in us we never knew even existed...agony, doubt, sorrow, excruciating pain, anger, bitterness, bewilderment, desperation and despair.
These are things we hear about others experiencing
 and we hope it doesn't happen to us.

But I'm willing to bet most of us have a crap story.
 I'm not sure you can make it through this life without one.
And lately I've come to wonder...would we really want to go through this life without one?  Or two?  Or ten?
Well, maybe not ten.

Because what if life was smooth all the time?  It sounds heavenly, right?
And when you are in the middle of your battle...all you want is peace.
All you want is the smooth.  You pray and wish with all your might that it was smooth.  But what if it WAS always smooth?  Would we learn anything?  Would we grow at all?  Would we find out what we are truly made of and eventually be able to rejoice in our triumph?  Would we learn to be humble?  Forgiving?  Patient?  Empathetic?  Faithful?  Teachable?  Tolerant?  Charitable?

Sometimes a crap story can go on for years, maybe even a lifetime.
 And I can only speak from my own experience,
 but there are days you want to throw in the towel.
 There are times it seems it should be easier, but it isn't. 

BUT...with each trial I encounter I learn more and more.  Whether I want to or not!
 It is my choice whether I fight or give up.
It is my choice whether I give in to negatives or focus on the positives.
And there are consequences to my choices.

For me to even be able to write anything like this regarding a crap story
 is a positive for me.  It is a step for me.
It is acknowledging that even though I have hated my trial, I am better for it.
 I am learning from it.
 I am putting my arm around it like a friend, and saying, "Yes, you happened, and I don't really like that.  But...you are teaching me some things.  Some amazing things.  And I won't deny that you helped me, even when I thought you would destroy me."
 I'm pretty sure that is progress, because there have been many times I didn't want to put my arm around it.
I wanted to kick it and stomp on it and scream at it and well...kill it. 

Hope is essential.  And in my book so is faith.  And people who love you.

Bad things happen to good people.  It is life.  And life isn't fair.  

But I believe good things can happen to all of us.  I believe God wants us to be happy. 

I am sure a crap story can destroy us.  But I am also sure a crap story can better us.

I am learning that I can change weakness and despair
 into strength and hope.

I'm learning it is okay to put your arm around your crap story,
and dare I say maybe even be thankful for it?

I'm not saying it's easy.
I'm just saying...it is possible.