I keep hearing “everybody’s got something” and “nobody has it easy” but I feel like some people do. Sure, everyone deals with small stuff, but I mean the big problems. If someone’s life seems easy, is that actually the case or are they always dealing with huge things no one knows about? Can people really go their whole life having it pretty easy?

Well… maybe. But I feel like this question brings less tension when we’re operating from the understanding that everyone gets exactly what they need, and that the big picture for all of us is broader than we can imagine.

There’s an idea that we all agree to the lives we’re going to have before coming down here. 

This comforts me and deep down I know it to be true. 

In many ways my life is so, so blessed. In other ways I do go through considerable pain and challenges. 

But even through all the pain, even when I’m begging for it to stop, I do have this knowledge that somehow it is for my ultimate good and that my neshama (soul) chose it. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I’m like, “What was my neshama thinking? – This is way too hard!!!” 

But when I’m done feeling all that, BH I also have times when I do see how the challenges are expanding me and making me grow and have a strong sense that Hashem knows what he’s doing. 

I wish the same for you.