(Editor: Elliot Taylor Dugar Sept 11, 2023)

This gift called life contains many wonderous things. It is this aspect of life that makes it exciting and worth living. We are joyful at
the birth of a newborn baby. Everyone is ecstatic at the news of our latest promotion or the purchase of a new home. Children are eager to run and play outdoors at the announcement of the start of summer break. Regardless of whether we are traveling the world or if we are taking in a cool breeze at the end of a long workday, or simply enjoying lunch with friends, most of us agree
that life is amazing. Despite this, however, there are times when it doesn’t seem so wonderful. All of us experience the dreariness of a rainy day. We all have had long empty nights where it seems the dawn will never come. And all of us will experience the loss of those we know and love throughout our lifetime. These are only a small number of obstacles we all will face. Some may think it unfortunate that life is full of obstacles. Whether we agree with this notion or not, we all can attest to the fact that obstacles are part of it all.

As much as we may wish for life to be an experience of absolute pleasure and ease, the reality of life is a bit different. Everything from bedtime stories to Hollywood movies have sold us the notion of the perfect life. It is one where all our dreams come true and there is nothing but happiness every moment of every day forever. We were told that our perfect life, free from any bumps in the road or pitfalls along the way was guaranteed if we simply believed and followed instructions to the letter. Green as new blades of
grass, and as naive as an infant child, we walked into the world only to find out otherwise.

Of course, there are bumps in the road. There is no such thing as a perfectly smooth thoroughfare in this experience of life. All of us find that the walk of life is filled with pitfall after pitfall along the way. As we have grown, we have come to understand that progress is often time accompanied with setbacks. This is life. To be even more succinct what we now understand is that life is both good and bad. Just as a full day consists of both day and night, life is made up of both triumphs and failures, smooth
pathways as well as those filled with obstacles. On the course of our maturity throughout life, this seems difficult to accept. Everything is supposed to go right. Right? Honestly speaking, wrong! Everything is not supposed to go right! That is not how life works. In fact, it works exactly in the opposite.

Life is designed to be the most complete experience. To have a complete experience we must have the entire experience. For example, to experience the beauty of flowers there must be both sunshine and rain. Likewise, to live the experience of a strong and fit lifestyle we must endure physical pain, mental strain, and self- sacrifice. You cannot have one without the other. They exist together like partners in an eternal marriage. There will always be obstacles on the road to your destination. When you understand and accept this life realty you can call upon the full power of your experience. Through the accomplishment of our goal(s) the journey is affirmed. But it is through our ability to overcome the obstacles along the way that our character is forged, and true knowledge is gained. So do not fear the setback. Do not succumb to the obstacle in your path. But rather, be reassured that it is as necessary as the path itself and that your goal lies on the other side.