I don't think there is any way people can fully realize how profound of a test my coping skills face each day. Now don't go feeling sorry for me because I'm very blessed and grateful! But there's no doubt that I often feel like a crash test dummy! My life in recent years has been, in effect, a proving ground for how to still be a happy camper during constant adversity.
Funny, how so many of the popular feel-good perspectives in the "positive thinking" arena break down under such trying conditions. And even the most highly-touted beliefs of the New Age gurus don't soothe the soul when you're dealing with the gut-wrenching hurts and feelings of loss that come from dealing with a debilitating illness day-after-day.
While so much of widely-adopted worldly wisdom would collapse under such strain, my faith in God has stood firmly and has even been greatly strengthened. The scriptures, teachings and principles of Christianity that the world constantly mocks and treats as outdated and irrelevant, continue to prove to me that they are the key reason that I can start each day with joy in my heart - no matter what... :)