Stained Glass Windows

I used to think getting hurt was avoidable.  But the truth is we're all broken.  In some form or other. Because nobody is exempt from feeling.  But with some people, you would never know the damage behind their smile.  The pain they've endured and the challenges they've faced could produce a bestselling novel.  And simply by being here, they are survivors in their own lives.

It never occurred to me when looking for a role model to just simply open my front door.  It's the ordinary people that overcome those extraordinarily harsh situations that is so inspiring.  And they do it with a cheery persona and a strength that I can only admire.  I have no idea how they find their fuel to drive them through each day.  

I'm in awe of them.

There is a saying: 'people are like stained glass windows- they sparkle and shine when the sun is out but when darkness sets in, their true beauty is only seen if there is a light from within.'  Perhaps the true beauty comes from the broken bits.  And it's not about avoiding the pain but possessing the strength to smile through it.