It is no secret that there are points throughout your life that are more demanding – physically, emotionally, and mentally – than others. It can become especially troublesome when you want to commit so much more time and energy, but your circumstances shackle you to complacency. It’s as though life requires you to sustain certain lulls in order to prep you for the highs and the lows that inevitably and unknowingly sneak their way into your years.

Different situations can change the level of energy and effort you can or even want to contribute, and there isn’t a person on this planet who hasn’t gone through a time where motivation was tough to find; giving our best can mean something different each and every day. I suppose despite life’s stress and chaos, the best we can do in each moment is just that: our best.

Your life will include the right people and experiences if you start each morning with good and honest intent, treat people with kindness, and put a little faith in the process of it all.

I do not desire my life to be a bed of roses. I want it to be something much more than that. I want it to be a truly great adventure, never dull, always exciting and engrossing; not sickly sweet, yet not unhappy. And I believe it will be all I wish…

– Edmund N. Carpenter II, “Before I Die”