At an even more personal level, I attended a funeral service last week for a wonderful local woman who had been battling cancer; leaving a devoted husband and four beautiful children bereaved.
On that same day, I received a call about a young mother, pregnant with her second child, who had suddenly contracted a deadly virus.
In spite of being given the best care a modern hospital can provide, Catherine succumbed to the illness and died a few days later.
In the middle of all this I was reading a book about the power of "story".
The author, Donald Miller, argues the essence of a great story is also the essence of a great life, "a character who knows what they want and [is] willing to overcome conflict to get it". He's right.
From Star Wars to The Lord of Rings, Bridget Jones's Diary to The Hunger Games - the plot line for the central characters follows that same formula, which is why all of those stories resonate with us. Facing adversity is a part of life.
Some thrive on adversity, but most of us would avoid it if given the choice. My friend Steve put it this way: "I know that adversity is character building, but I'd rather not to have to face it and just be shallow."
If we are honest, I think most of us feel a bit that way. But the harsh reality is that tough times are a part of life and the only choice we get in the matter is about how we respond.
It seems certain that 2015 will deliver more challenges, but Rotorua is blessed with a lot of determined and resilient people.
If we join together, we will not only achieve better outcomes for our community, but we will also experience the joy that comes from helping others get through the tough times and out the other side.
