Sundays always seem like a good day to take stock of the previous week and look ahead to the week before us. As I was doing the dishes tonight and thinking of last week, I thought of a couple of conversations with friends and coworkers who have taken situations that most of us would consider a heartache and instead looked for the lessons learned or “blessings” found within.

Hard to understand how someone facing a serious illness sees that as a blessing but we hear that all the time. Maybe they are more thankful for each day, or more appreciative for the people they know etc. Twice this week I’ve heard people talk about their aging parents with dementia and how caring for them is the last great lesson their parents will teach them. Lessons in patience and love and finding a nugget of joy in each day.

We see great things come from great sorrow. Look at Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) and the difference that group has made in the way we, as a nation, look at driving and driving. Think about all the money raised for research for diseases by families after people have lost a loved one.

So tonight I thought I would pick “Blessings” from my IPod. While it is a religious song, you don’t have to be religious to frame bad experiences or situations in a way that gives them new meaning.