No matter what we come up against, that spirit inside of us will carry us along. Carry? Stumble is more like it. It still counts. The human spirit is one of the strongest threads in the universe, because we overcome so much adversity in our lives.

There is something about grit, determination, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and just plain stubbornness that gets us through tough times. Of course, some go through trials and frustrations with more grace than others, but what does that matter? In the end, we shine like a beacon to others when we persevere, and come through with our ability to love in tact.

That spirit takes where we need to go, even when we don’t want to. That spirit helps us get

Photo:Alex Goerner.Ireland

out of bed and face a day we know will be filled with grief. That spirit lifts our face to the sunrise and helps us recognize a new beginning. That spirit strengthens our spine as we face unfair criticism or the wrath of another. That spirit makes our voice strong in front of a larger crowd than we anticipated. That spirit helps us try over and over again until we get it right. That spirit never leaves us dangling out there on our own.