“Love all of who you are no matter the cost. If you must bear two crosses for the sake of two countries do so unapologetically. Ultimately, you are an ambassador to both. Two is better than one.” – Ken Reiman
“Life is like a voyage on the sea of history, often dark and stormy, a voyage in which we watch for the stars that indicate the route. The true stars of our life are the people who have lived good lives.” – Pope Benedict XVI
“The summit is believed to be the object of the climb. But its true object—the joy of living—is not in the peak itself, but in the adversities encountered on the way up. There are valleys, cliffs, streams, precipices, and slides, and as he walks these steep paths, the climber may think he cannot go any farther, or even that dying would be better than going on. But then he resumes fighting the difficulties directly in front of him, and when he is finally able to turn and look back at what he has overcome, he finds he has truly experienced the joy of living while on life’s very road.” – Eiji Yoshikawa
The words of Eiji Yoshikawa remind us that growth rarely happens at the summit. The peak may offer perspective, but it is the climb that forms character. In moments of difficulty, when progress feels slow and the path uncertain, it is easy to measure life by outcomes alone. Yet the real transformation often occurs in the quiet perseverance required to take the next step.
Adversity clarifies priorities. It humbles ambition. It reveals reserves of strength we did not know we possessed. When we finally look back at the valleys crossed and the obstacles endured, we recognize that the joy of living was never confined to achievement. It was present in the effort, the resilience, and the decision to continue.
Ken Reiman is a diplomat, author, and global affairs speaker whose work reflects faith, leadership, and lived international experience.