Triumph of Joy

"What am I to do?" she challenged the empty night air as she sat huddled on the back step. Tears burning her face she demanded of the silence that surrounded her. Why have I been put in the position where I cannot help those I love? Am I being punished? What have I done to deserve such pain? Torn between the pleas for help from her dying father, and the never-ending demands of her mentally ill husband, Pauline was desperate to support them both. The thought of abandoning either of the men she loved racked her body with pain. To her husband Pauline was the enemy as he struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder associated with Vietnam. To her father she was a daughter who adored him since childhood. Pauline's questions were answered once she acknowledged that life is a journey to come to know oneself. Her challenges in life became a milestone to look back upon as the lessons learnt enabled her to shine once more and to grow in love, compassion and understanding of self. When we are in despair there seems no way out, yet the Human Spirit, like a diamond forged under great pressure, is destined to shine.