“It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
—Nelson Mandela
Waking up every morning is cause for celebration! A brand new day, filled with sunshine (or inclement weather), food, human interaction and often, love. We are truly blessed to experience the beauty of each new day, to enjoy the unknown potential and promise the day holds for us, and even to face the challenges that it may bring our way.
Of course life isn’t perfect! We may have an accident on the way to the grocery store, hear about a sick friend losing their fight with an illness, come face to face with a tragedy, or be in the midst of a personal or professional struggle. However, we are blessed to be in the position to confront these challenges! We wake up to a new day and are able to problem solve. Where there is life, there is hope – each new day brings additional possibilities.
Nelson Mandela’s quote reminds us that we each have our personal baggage and struggles, but how we deal with them is what defines us. For our children to see us celebrating each new day, finding meaning and relevance in every situation, facing the world with a positive outlook, sets them up for success. We are modelling optimism and helping them face their future with sunshine and rainbows.
SUE PENN is a contributing writer to kiddish magazine.
