There are moments in life when grace bestows itself upon us. We do not get to choose the time at which this occurs, but we do get to choose whether or not we are open to accepting it. And when choosing to be open to the acceptance of that which is placed before us we must consider it a gift. A chance to restore our beauty through grace, to choose to grow and excel beyond the constraints from which we have lived. It is in this opportunity that we experience the greatest personal growth. Grace comes to us all at some point, though regrettably, it is often a result of a greater ill that has manifested itself into our life – loss of a loved one, loss of life, loss of self – here in these moments of our vulnerability we can find strength; and should we choose to accept to be strong we will show endurance, and in our endurance we build character and, I have been told, that it is here in our character that we find hope. And, if the monks are indeed correct, hope does not disappoint. However, I think it is fair to assume that this is not the hope for the things in life you want, this is a deeper hope. A hope that assumes you will grow, you will blossom out of the ashes of destruction and thrive.

On a walk I noticed that the likelihood of life flourishing in death is as great, if not better, then life otherwise existing. In plants, there are two general means by which life and death coincide; and both demonstrate a greater strength than life or death independent of each other. In some species, the pod must shrivel and dry before it will fall to the ground and propagate the species. In other instances, most notably fire, the sprouts flourish in the nutrients of the ashes, at some instances, the plant may live and die simultaneously.

There is life in death. Not just life, but an exuberant life. Here in the grace of death we can thrive, as the plants, we as individuals can too thrive. It is here that our sorrow, and our grief and our weakness can be used to extend the degree to which we understand ourselves as we wake and breathe to a new day. In the atmosphere of grace we are beautiful. Our beauty will flourish in this atmosphere of grace, and we will grow more beautiful should be open to the death that precedes it. We will prosper in the radiant light of endurance that rises within us from the turmoil, and by accepting the grace that is bestowed upon us, we strive to be better. Better than we were yesterday and the day before and six months before and ten years before, and better for those around us, but mostly for ourselves. For without being better for ones own benefit, one can be no better for another, and the degree to which we choose to profess our commitment to being a better, more graceful, and more beautiful person, is the degree to which we choose to grow.

It is not a choice when to grow, but it is a choice to grow, and how to grow. And though it may take time to come up through the ash, or to ripen and fall, it will happen. We will choose to grow, and to plant our roots and to develop larger, taller and more fully then those around us; and so long as the choice is pure of heart, we will grow strong, endure, build character, and create new hope.

The choice to accept the beauty of grace is the choice to act for ones self. Our action must first make us better individuals, only then can we become better to those that we love.

The choice. We do not get to choose when, or how, or why the events of life lead us where they do. We do get to choose what we take from those events, and how we take it.

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