As we give thanks this holiday season for everything we are grateful for let us not forget to be thankful for the adversities we have encountered as well.

It is easy for us to be grateful for our families, for our friends, for all the gadgets and toys, for how far we have come thus far but sometimes, sometimes we forget that a lot of the things we are grateful for may have been influenced or shaped in part by the obstacles and adversities we have encountered.

I sure am grateful for the obstacles I’ve been through, regardless of the amount of hurt and trouble they may have put me through. For I know, that all the hurt and trouble I’ve been through has made me a stronger and wiser person.

Life, no matter the path we choose, will not come without its set of obstacles. These obstacles, however, are nothing to fret about as they are just that, obstacles, and obstacles, the last time I checked, can be overcome. Some obstacles may be more difficult than others to overcome and may require a bit more effort but nonetheless, they can all be overcome. And with every obstacle we overcome we become that much better at handling adversity. And in a life filled with obstacles, successful handling of adversity is a great trait to have.

I wouldn’t dream to have a life without obstacles, even if it meant that I wouldn’t be hurt or troubled. Obstacles help us grow as individuals and allow us to help others grow as the hardships we go through help us relate to others who may have faced or are facing the same hardships. And being able to help others or at the least wanting to help others is always something I’ve valued. Not only does it allow us to help others but it allows us to empower others as well. And in a world, that at times is plagued by darkness, the empowerment of ourselves and others is a great practice. The reason I value the helping of others so much is because there are some who wish to have a little bit of help from someone but are too afraid to ask or don’t think there is anybody that cares. I know there are people out there like this because I used to be one of those people but that is a topic for a different article for another day. The focus of this article is to remind ourselves that although the obstacles we encounter in life are often at times troublesome, we shouldn’t think of them as having no value or significance to us.

Thus, I am thankful for everything that I have been through, the good and the bad. I am thankful for all that I have and all that I don’t have. I am thankful for all the times that I have failed just as much as I am thankful for all the times that I have succeeded. I am thankful for each hardship I have been through as well as for the ones I may encounter in the future. For I know that without them all, I wouldn’t be the young man I am now, continuously striving to better himself, others, and the world.