When Lightning Strikes Twice

I always tell people that luck is where preparation meets opportunity. But what about bad luck? If that's true, then it follows that people with bad luck are unprepared or did something to cause their bad luck.

Do bad things happen for no reason at all? I'm starting to believe they do.

Five years ago, my dad was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer in his throat. A successful surgery to reconstruct his throat earned him extra runway.

That was, until 1 year ago when my mom was diagnosed with a non-cancerous brain tumor in the back of her head. After another successful surgery to remove the brain tumor, we felt lucky.

What didn't feel so lucky was when, 3 months ago, my dad's cancer had spread to his lung. This required another surgery. This time, the surgery wasn't a raging success. My dad was left with intense dizziness, an infection, and one lung. My mom was his caretaker.

Thought things couldn't get worse? I wish. Two days ago, my mom was on her way home from a walk. She stopped to wait for passing cars so she could cross the busy street. As she stood there, she was hit by a 14-year-old girl riding her mountain bike at full speed. A complete accident. An ambulance rushed my mom to the ER. They treated her for a series of facial fractures and bleeding in the brain. Her face was so swollen and banged up that she was almost recognizable.

Which brings me to now. Countless moments sitting in my car and in the ICU, thinking to myself, why? Why do bad things happen to good people?

One of the hardest questions to answer in life.

Ultimately, I don't think there is an answer to this question. It's a question that touches on the fundamental nature of our existence. I believe God has a plan for me individually. A plan that brings me purpose, meaning, and happiness through Christ. I'll leave it at that.

I believe it's more productive to focus on our response to adversity than to seek answers to the question.

Bad things happen to all people. Good things also happen to all people.

Some of the best people are those who face the greatest challenges. They choose to make something of their struggles.

We're all given different circumstances in life. Life isn't fair. And it wasn't meant to be. Only so many things are in our control.

Truly great people refuse to be victims of their circumstances. They choose to make something of them.

I don't know a lot of things. But I do know God loves me. He's molding me into the person I'm meant to be. He sees the potential in me, and he believes in me. I'm grateful for all the good in my life.

Despite my parents' recent unfortunate events, there are some silver linings. There always are. It takes recognizing the details of every moment.

Life is short. Treat every day like it's your last. Hug those you love. Spend time with those you love. Give more than you take. Be the person you aspire to be. Don't wait.