It has been a difficult year with a global pandemic, massive wildfires and societal tensions that raged around race and equality. Many times it felt like there was only ugliness and pain surrounding us. How can I continue being positive and what will it take to make it through another day? I will do it by looking for the happiness that is still here, the underlying good that supports us no matter what happens.

We have lost friends to the pandemic, in some cases because we can no longer see them and others because they have actually passed on. I miss those friendships, yet I can hold tight to the good times we had together and be thankful that I was able to share a part of my life with them.

Was there any happiness in the wildfires? I found joy in being able to go outside once the smoke had cleared and in seeing the strength of the people who lost their homes but are still going on. Seeing the stories of love and hope that poured out to those communities was heartwarming. And yes, it may be selfish, but I was happy knowing that we and ours were safe and that the fires didn’t destroy our homes.

Finally, it is tough knowing that my loved one has a progressive and debilitating disease but I find happiness when I see him fighting back. I was worried when the governor ordered the closure of in-person gyms earlier this year, but we have found a new on-line program and he is more motivated than ever. Seeing him working out on an almost daily basis encourages me and gives me hope for our future together.

If there is one takeaway from this difficult time it is that when my day seems darkest, I need to look around. There is always a light somewhere, something that I can find to smile about and those little smiles will bring me through.