darkness is a gift

I was watching television yesterday and one of my favorite shows is an alcohol-tasting/touring show. They were going around to wineries, in this episode, and they brought to mind something that I had heard of but had never really resonated with me before. 

The stress which a grape vine is put through is directly equivalent to the value and taste of the wine. If there is a lot of stress, the wine is diverse and robust. If the plant grows simply, the flavor is simple.

All the struggles we are given are not to test us-- they are to be seen as a challenge instead of a wall.

If you never accomplish, you never succeed. 

Regardless of money.

Or title. 

If you don't work, you will not be anyone of merit. 

Or value.

You'll be a rich little lump on a log.

Simple. Boring. And average.

But struggle. Really pick something hard to work through, and you will find out a lot about yourself. A lot about the world. 

You'll build character. 

Become interesting. 

Become diverse and robust. 

Choose the hard way out. Choose the darkness. 

The key is to revel in the darkness. See it as a gift.There is just so much to find.