“There is no education like adversity”

-Benjamin Disraeli

I’ve had a paragraph form the seminal book The Way of Transformation by Karlfried Graf von Durckheim hanging on my wall for over 30 years. It says, in essence, that when we fall on hard times we should not seek comfort, but rather friends who will help us to risk ourselves, move through adversity and come out stronger on the other side. He teaches that by exposing ourselves “over and over again to annihilation”, we can find that which is eternal and indestructible within us.

Disraeli would agree. Adversity, while  unwelcome, can give us lessons, skills and experience that makes us stronger and smarter. Sometimes just making it through to Friday is a victory! And a day of hard times is better than no day at all. We can bless it, wrestle with it, and learn from it.

What adversity is wrestling with you today, and  what can you learn from it?

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Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British politician and writer, who twice served as Prime Minister.  He made the Conservatives the party most identified with the glory and power of the British Empire. He is the only British Prime Minister of Jewish birth.

Joe Laur is a father, husband, naturalist, executive, consultant, and a lowly rabbinic student. He can be reached at joe.laur@godsdog.net.