I recently had the opportunity to fly out to Michigan to see friends.
My flight had a layover in Dallas, Texas.
On my way to Dallas I was able to see both the fires and also the devastation it has caused, in Colorado. So much damage has happened in that area and to see past that destruction can be difficult at best.
As I was staring down from plane, it reminded me of when I was growing up.
I lived near a large forest preserve, and every few years, it seemed, the state government would have a controlled burn over the area. After the burn, I would go through the preserve along the trails and see how black and burnt everything was, but inevitably after a few months, the forest would grow and it always seemed greener.
Going through those trails, it reminded me of the many times where my life was hit by some sort of tragedy. In high school it might have been pimples, in college perhaps exams, after graduation it was paying back student loans, and most recent the death of my niece. Every person goes through hard times and whether others consider it trivial or not, it is still hard to go through.
During these times, what helps me, is my faith and the knowledge that even Jesus went through tragedies and hard times.
While I find comfort, my life begins to grow green once again.
