Serendipity: (n) the chance occurance of events in a beneficial way.

Life is something that so many of us talk about. Life is something so many writers write about. Life is something that so many artists paint, draw, and sculpt about. Life is something that so many singers sing about.

This list could go on forever.

Life is a focal subject of self expression, and it something that none of us can predict. We all try to plan out our lives, and don't try deny that you don't. We dream of husbands, wives, children, houses, cars, etc. We think of holiday dinners, school awards, anniversaries, happiness and a just the beautiful future we believe we will have.

But guess what?

It's ugly before it's beautiful. There is heartache before there is happiness and serendipity. There loss before there is any gain. And you know what? That is what makes life, life.

All the ups, all the downs, all the unknowns, all the anger, all the tears. They make this life worth living. How can pain make life worth living you ask? They make life worth living by making us appreciate the moments where they do not exist.

We feel happiness on days we notice beautiful weather, not pain. We feel happiness on days full of fulfillment, not pain. We feel happiness on days full of big hugs and full hearts, not pain. We feel happiness on the days we remedy problems with ice cream and coffee from McDonald's. We feel happiness on days we feel full of love, not pain.

Love. That's an large and interesting part of life, isn't it?

How do you love? Who do you love? When do you stop giving it?

Here's what I've learned: once you have loved someone, it is very hard to stop loving them, romantically or not.

In some cases, you must teach yourself how to stop loving someone. Most likely, you have no other option. In other cases, your love for someone is able to change form. Both ways of dealing with the pain, sorrow and change you are going through is okay, and do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

If you love, love loud. This does not mean screaming it to the heavens if that's not how the person you love feels love. Maybe they need a thank you, a hug, reassuring words. Give them what they need. This is not only true in romantic relationships, but in friendships too. As well, if you love, lose, and then gain the same person back into your life, you must love them as strong as you can. All love is a gift, but this kind of love is a special one. It is a love that broke down the first time for a variety of reasons, but weathered what happened, grew from it and is ready to love you again in new way.

It is a blessing, and something that may only come around once in a lifetime.

Life is beautiful and tragic, with a few moments of serendipity thrown in to show the magic it what we do not have the capacity to understand about the human soul.