When I was in charge of a cabin of fifth grade girls at an overnight science camp we had a bedtime ritual called Rose and Thorn. The rose represented their favorite thing about the day, and the thorn represented something that they didn’t like. We sat in a circle on the cabin floor, and each girl would get her turn to share.

These girls — these fifth grade girls — NEVER had a hard time thinking of a rose. Often, filled with joy and gratitude for the new experiences, they produced small bouquets of roses. Many struggled to produce a thorn.

As we get older and gain more responsibility, it is easier to get caught up in the thorns.

The health and wellness journey has many potential thorns:
-Getting up early because it’s your only quiet time to meditate
-Commuting to a fitness facility
-Finding a spot in a crowded class or workout area
-Packing a gym bag
-Having to redo your hair because you got sweaty
-Looking at a weight stack and wondering if you’ll be able to complete ten reps
-Still smelling like chlorine after taking a shower

The list can go on and on. Some of these thorns, with the proper prospective, can turn into roses. One of the thornless girls in my cabin wisely explained that things that were thorns for others weren’t thorns for her because they helped her in some way — thorns that help are actually roses!

Some thorns are sharper and cut deeper than others. Some thorns are and will forever be thorns. However, even in our darkest moments there are still things we can be grateful for.

What is your rose today? Do you have a thorn that you can transform into a rose?

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week!