We raised them to fly. From the beginning, we celebrated all the firsts. They heard our cheers as they took those first wobbly steps, as they fed themselves oatmeal with a spoon, pulled that first loose tooth, and wrote their first name in big, scribbly print. We posted pictures of birthdays, proms, athletic events, and awards ceremonies. Every time they took a step forward, grew up a little more, we celebrated.

Chances are someone reading this feels like giving up. You look around and nothing in life looks good right now. You may feel like your life is literally trashed; no sparkling treasure to be found. I would tell you, “it’s like digging for diamonds. Don’t give up.”