Every day I look into the eyes of the most resilient man I know. I wonder how he ever endured such a loss. Endless days of watching your loved one fade away. The grief so deep that it catches you when you aren’t looking sometimes and drags you back into it’s darkness. And when you are so lucky to get a good day, you feel guilty for feeling happy.

With a fussy 2 year old at hand, Corey was left as a single parent after his wife of five years passed away from a long battle of breast cancer. It was difficult to say the least. Not only having to deal with your own grief but the grief of a child. When I ask him how he did it and how he is still doing it, he says he stays strong for Lyla, our daughter. Taking care of the most valuable treasure, keeps him moving forward.

We are not born with a fixed amount of resilience; it is a muscle that you can build but it takes courage. Many people surrender to its sadness. Day to day, you can choose to pick up a feeling or put it down. There are times to be strong and there are times to bare your soul. Corey did not lose hope that life had a deeper meaning and that the human spirit was still strong.