Hope rings supreme for a good life. We look for the silver lining through the darkness and the gloom that besets us. As the saying goes you can win more flies with honey than with vinegar.

I was watching a documentary about my favorite President JFK. I thought I had seen it before but it seemed new to me. President Kennedy suffered physically for all of his life. Yet he presented as a vigorous man. He often anticipated that he would soon die yet looked on the bright side. His ability to project his optimism onto the electorate endeared him to millions. He fought the battle of poor health with a victor’s vision.

I have a dear friend who has experienced more than her share of illness yet she reveals nothing but a sunny can-do attitude. She is effective beyond her position in life and reminds me of myself.

The rocky shoals of life are treacherous. It is easy to succumb and be beached on the jagged rocks. Yet for those who persevere, there is a reward in standing against the night.

Actually, most great people overcame great obstacles. I have never seen my dear friend Bill without a smile on his face and an encouraging word for all he meets. Knowing him I realize that everything is not always coming up roses in his life. Yet when you meet him you can not tell of the struggle.

My pastor of many years ago battled liver disease. He was a kind and compassionate man. I saw him at his sickest and he was concerned about others.

We do not know what our fellow travelers are going through. Kindness is the answer. Understanding should be our creed. People are not what they appear to be. Robin Williams committed suicide and he was one of our greatest Comics.

What is the mystery of this test we call life? How can we succeed? Love for others comes from suffering. Hope for a better day is birthed in pain. We are all broken as the singer Leonard Cohen said…that is how the light gets in…