One thing I’ve learned in life—the hard way and long way unfortunately. There is a great deal of mystery in reality. My father died when I was three. Why such a thing would happen to a young mother and a small child is surely a mystery. My mother lived for twenty-eight years with Alzheimer’s disease, and the mystery of it goes deeper every day. And now we had a national election that I can’t comprehend, a mystery that completely escapes me.

In fact, the real mystery is why such things happen at all. But the greater mystery may be what to think of them, how to handle them, how to deal with them spiritually. I found a story that provided some of the perspective it takes to embrace the mysteries of life, if not with “joy,” at least with trust.

One day an angel appeared to a seeker hard at work in the field of life and said, “I have been instructed by the gods to inform you that you have three more lives before you gain enlightenment.” With that the seeker fell dejectedly into heavy sobbing. “Three more lives, three more lives. Oh no,” he cried, “three more lives,” and he wailed and rolled in the dust. Then the angel moved on to another seeker bent over by the heat of the day and gave this message. “I have been sent to tell you,” the angel said, “that you will have 10,000 more lives before enlightenment.” “Really,” the worker exclaimed, “only 10,000 more lives? Only 10,000 more lives and I will be enlightened.” And he began to sing and dance joyfully before God. Suddenly a voice came from heaven: “My child, this day you have attained enlightenment.”

In every struggle, there is a hidden blessing. If my father had not died, I would never have discovered the Erie Benedictines. If my mother had not been ill for so many years, I would not have received the blessing of caring for her as she had cared for me. If the national election hadn’t happened….well, the effects of that I don’t know yet, but I have no doubt whatsoever that the blessing lurking there will somehow, someday become clear.

Think about your own struggles for a while and “give thanks to God.”