As we travel through life there will always be ups and downs; highs and lows with bright and dark moments that refine our rough edges and shape us through time. Adversity is a painful, yet unavoidable portion of the entirety of our journey, and we must learn to recognize it for what it is, accept that we must navigate through it, and find within ourselves the hope and determination to press on beyond it. Adversity is found in the unavoidable dips and dark corners of our travels, but it is to our greatest advantage to bear in mind that brighter paths and tranquil summits await us if we endure the twists and turns of life with courage and hope.
                       
Depths of Despair
Adversity encompasses a broad range of challenges, from simple annoyances to soul wrenching periods of anguish that lay siege to coping mechanisms and impair our very will to survive. There are times in our lives when the weight of our circumstances seems too great to bear, and when there appears to be no available end to such suffering at any point in the future. It is at times like these that we are most susceptible to loss of hope and despair, feeling that there is no escape from our circumstances or that consequences inflicted upon us are so perilous that there can be no recovery or return to contentment in life. Dark moments and difficult times can test our abilities to deal with life, and can lead us to believe that there is no hope, and that there is nothing in the future that can free us from our misery.

Tunnel Vision
We are all afflicted at different times and in varying degrees with adversity that tests our strength and will. We methodically measure in our minds the intensity, duration, and degree of discomfort we suffer in comparison with other challenges that we experience in life. When we perceive our difficulties to be severe in comparison with other encounters with adversity, we can lose touch with the reality of our past—taking a distorted and narrow view that is centered upon the negativity of present circumstances. This tunnel vision makes it difficult to see, as we historically have, that difficult and challenging events in our lives are followed by times of recovery and peace. It is in the times of greatest adversity in our lives that we are the least capable of seeing the road ahead, and the way out of the miserable conditions in which we find ourselves.

Continuity of Experience
It is easy to be frustrated by adversity, especially when it is of lengthy duration and extraordinary magnitude, but it is essential, even in situations that seem most unbearable, to lean upon our past; and in so doing, find the strength to envision a future comparable to the past, that links our path from where we have been, not only to where we are, but to where we can be. It is never easy to see a path to happiness while we are in the midst of grief, but while our vision is darkened by distress, it is essential to consider the many highs and lows, as well as the bright and dark moments that we have successfully navigated in the past. Our history of overcoming challenges can serve as the hope to see beyond present lows and darkness to the possibility of brighter and higher roads ahead. The fact that we have risen to the challenges of the past and regained comfort and peace beyond them is a cause for hope that exists in the continuity of our experiences in life. There is little cause to believe that every obstacle we encounter is the end of the road, because as the past has shown us, there are always smoother paths to travel, once we have endured the rough and pitted ones.

Taking the Bad with the Good
It can be difficult to see light in hard times, but hope is the root of optimism, however small it may be, that can grow and strengthen our resolve and momentum toward better days. Each of us is subjected to unique challenges and conditions that no one else can quite understand in the same way. Our individual encounters with adversity can make us feel isolated and hopeless at times, but we must always believe in ourselves, finding hope in our ability to move beyond our trials with the adaptability and endurance that has helped us through challenges of the past. We may all appreciate the happy and easy times in our lives, but we must realize that we could never appreciate them as much as we do after we have overcome the difficult times in our lives. With the good also comes the bad; and as unique as our experiences may be, we must always retain within us the hope and faith necessary to believe in ourselves and that our challenges will eventually yield to better times. As much as we would prefer to do without them, it is the difficult times that allow us to truly appreciate how blessed our lives are in peaceful and happy times.

While it is easy to feel frustrated and hopeless in times of adversity, it is important to consider the entirety of our journey—an adventure that takes us through high and low places and through brilliant and bleak times. It is impossible to fully enjoy the smoothest of roads without also taking some bumps along the way. Adversity is not always anticipated. It exists in many places where we least expect to find it, but we must learn not to fear or despise our challenges, but to accept them as part of the trip. We must learn to face adversity with faith and hope, knowing that though for a time we are travelling on difficult paths, there are brighter and smoother roads ahead. Adversity is a part of our lives that requires us to learn and grow in ways that we rarely expect, but just as the night comes with the day, adversity also comes with joyous times. May we learn to accept the challenges with which we are faced, and to endure them well, so that we may appreciate the beauty of life that is found in the entire trip, rather than to be dismayed by the difficulty of certain twists and turns.

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