“Within each challenge, there is love.”

Those were the words once spoken to me by my dearest friend and mentor. The year was 1992, and my grandfather had been hospitalized for heart failure. Sadly, he wasn’t expected to make it through the night.

At just 23 years old, I had barely enough life experience to navigate through such sadness. Though thankfully, I had the loving heart of a dear friend at my service.

The circumstances of his passing were difficult, at best. It was early February, and the airports had been closed due to a passing ice storm – making my 3,000 plus mile journey nearly impossible.

Adding to this, was a direct line supervisor – who saw weakness as an opportunity to deny my leave request.

I remember making my way to the pay phone in the hallway of our dorm. “I’m so sorry, Mom,” I cried, “But, they said I’m not allowed to come home.”

To this day, I’ll never forget the sound of my Mother’s tears – even though, she did her very best to mask.

It was just then that I heard a familiar voice call out. “Tell me, who is that you’re speaking to?”

When I explained the circumstances of my upset – the airports, the ice storms, the denial of my leave request – he simply smiled, and said,

“Well then, that’s not so bad.”

Within the hour, he had arranged for my travel home. The airfare, the luggage fees, the taxi to and from each airport – all graciously shared through the generosity of strangers.

“Just remember,” he smiled, as I made my way to the door. “Within each challenge, there is opportunity; and, within each opportunity – there is love.”

Indeed, within every moment – there is an opportunity for love. Including those that may – at times – cause us to crumble. Yes, dear – even in those heart wrenching, unforgivably selfish moments, my darlings – there is a chance for love.

Though, sometimes we need a little darkness – to see how the light finds its way through.

A little something to consider, my darlings – where there is challenge, there is opportunity. And, where there is opportunity – there is a chance for  love.

Namaste.