None of us have it easy. Every parent, every family, every person has their struggles. Perhaps we were lucky and our kids were born with all their fingers and their toes but, nobody gets perfectly smooth sailing.

One family has learning layers. Another, behavioral issues. One kid is in and out of doctor’s offices, everyone trying to get to the bottom of this or that. Another is shy and can’t seem to make any friends. Another refuses to go to school no matter what you try.

The question to ask with these things, as we talked about recently, is not “Why me?” But “What does this experience give me?” As in, what are we learning from it? How is it bringing us closer together? How and what are we teaching our kids through this? How and what are they teaching us through it?

Yeah it’s hard, but that’s what makes it powerful. Because there is love here. There is meaning. There is the opportunity for growth. It means time together…or having a different perspective on time entirely. It means so much you’ll have to—get to—learn. You may have never chosen for anything like this, but you’re starting to realize this is your path now. And it’s leading you to somewhere greater than you would have—or *could have—*gone otherwise.