And they lived happily ever after...maybe?

That which we long for the most is that which we try to give others. Perhaps that's why I like happy endings in books and movies because I want to feel the hope that I too can have my happy ending. Maybe that's why I like to write happy endings in my stories.

Does this mean everything will be bliss? Of course not. There are trials and struggles that will come, but depending on our attitude and faith in the Lord, even these trials can have happy endings. Does that mean everything will be perfect and turn out just the way we want? Not necessarily, but it does give me hope that whatever happens will be a good fit for me.

It is always hard to put my characters through difficult things, but I also recognize the value and growth that comes to my characters while they experience the horrible things that they go through. It's just like real people. One character I have been working with has dealt with some particularly awful things and I had wondered about how I could hurt her so.

Later when discussing this character, among others, I posed the question of what this characters theme song would be. A wise friend replied simply and firmly: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Though I laughed, I realized the truth in what she said. We may be struggling with awful things in our lives, but if we put our trust in the divine and exercise a little faith we too can say, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."