You are not here to find love, nor to be greeted by happiness at every turn, nor to be showered with kindness, nor to be celebrated by all, to forever remain a child.

No. You came here to create love where love is sorely lacking.

Your soul willingly left its blissful place beyond all troubles to descend into a stifling frame of bone, blood and flesh. Why?

Because only from within this frail form can inner strength be forged by pain, can wisdom be nurtured by failure, can love be the reward of those who choose to give love.

Only here can you struggle with the bitter things of life and squeeze out of them a syrup of sweet, inner joy.

And as there is no sweetness as succulent as bittersweet, so there is no river of love that runs as deep as the love forged through a battle of the heart, no strength as powerful as that wrestled from the hands of an enemy through stubborn, defiant resolve, no wisdom as the wisdom gained by stumbling in darkness, standing up again, stumbling and walking again, and again.

All that is good, all that has meaning, all that is up to you alone.