Bad Things, Good Things

Let the bad reveal the good

You probably know the saying by Mark Twain: “Some of the worst things in my life never even happened.” As the French would say: c’est un bangér. I would take it a step further: “Some of the worst things in my life not only happened, but made my life better.” (Cloyingly positive, yes, I know. Emphasis on some.)

Let’s put death and violence and all those really bad things off to one side for a moment and just look at garden-variety bad things. These are the kinds of problems we encounter every day and sometimes every day for years on end. Some of them are, admittedly, quite large, complicated, vexing, and deeply troublesome. These are the kinds of problems that range from mild annoyance to tearful, full-blown meltdowns. Every person you know has these problems. Your mom has these problems. Your best friend has these problems. That guy you hate has these problems. Life can often feel like one of these problems after another.