“Life is like a grindstone: Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you’re made of.”
–Anonymous
Nobody wants problems in life, but absolutely everyone must face them. Far too often, we are visited by the messenger of misery, who spares nobody. We may ask why there are so many obstacles along life’s pathway and why we must face so much heartache in life, but we will never find satisfactory answers to these questions. In the words of M. Scott Peck, M.D., “Life is difficult, and life is complex.”
Perhaps we are not supposed to understand “why bad things happen to good people.” Many facets of life are simply too complex for the human brain to understand. Instead of trying to find explanations for the bad things that happen to us or looking for someone to blame, perhaps we should focus all of our energy on dealing with the problems and then getting on with our lives. Maybe we should look at problems as opportunities to grow in strength. They may not be welcome opportunities, but once they come along, uninvited, we should resolve to find a way to navigate through and beyond the difficulties and come out a stronger person.
Rose Kennedy, the mother of slain President John F. Kennedy, is perhaps the best-known public figure who experienced an extraordinary amount of personal heartache during her lifetime and always seemed to be able to rebound. Two of her children had already experienced tragic deaths before John F. Kennedy became President. Then both President Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. It seemed almost more than any mother could endure, especially one whose life was so public. But she endured it all and was quoted as saying, “I don’t believe God gives us more burdens than we have the strength to bear.” The grindstone of life polished up Rose Kennedy instead of grinding her down because of the kind of person she was and because of the way she dealt with life’s heartaches.
Perhaps one of the best pieces of advice that can be given to young people is to expect problems in life and try to be prepared to deal with them. Life’s journey is neither smooth sailing all the way nor a bumpy road all the way. For some of us, there is a lot more smooth sailing than there is bumpy riding. But nobody gets through life without any bruises. Life is a mixture of good and bad experiences, and it is how we deal with the bad experiences that determine whether life will polish us up or grind us down.
Think about it.
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Copyright 2026
Allen W. Smith
