I believe in silver linings. That sliver or shimmer of hope in a bad situation. While I don’t believe all things always are (or aren’t) meant to be, I do think there’s some small bit of good often to be found if you look hard enough.

Sometimes it’s obvious. A big positive change after something negative. Sometimes it’s more hidden and forces you to search for and define the meaning yourself. 

When we lost Bella, my only silver lining was saving Samurai. It doesn’t change what happened nor does it make me feel better about it. But something good came from her loss because I determined it had to.

Sometimes when bad events happen, we think we’ll never be able to look back at them with any kind of positivity – unless that event is a catalyst for something else.

It reminds me of the concept of kintsugi. Taking the broken pieces and putting them back together to make something beautiful. It doesn’t mean the breaks have vanished …the scars are still there, but somehow stronger for it. And somehow you’re not so afraid of the next break that will surely come. If the pieces can be made whole once, you’ll be more ready to do it again. 

That defining moment – that moment when everything changed – is a moment of choice. How will you move forward from there? What lessons can you take? Where is that silver lining? 

While it may not always be there, it often is if you’re looking for it.