“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” — Robert Burns, 1785
If there’s one truth I’ve learned throughout my life, it’s that things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, it seems like they never do. That’s life, right? Things are going to be difficult and go wrong at one point or another. Hardship and tragedy are inevitable parts of the human condition, but lucky for us, what happens afterwards is not.
This issue of The Newton Community Magazine is full of stories about times when life hasn’t gone according to plan—stories about surviving an illness or a tragic loss—and not just surviving but becoming stronger and more resilient, rediscovering joy and finding peace on the other side of these tragedies and hardships. As you’ll find throughout these pages, it wasn’t easy. The journeys have indeed been agonizingly painful for some, but these stories demonstrate that even in our darkest hours, hope remains. They are a reminder that God’s mercies are new every morning and that life endures, even when the world has other plans.
If you’re still in the dark of night, dear friend, hang on and hold tight to the promise of God’s unending love and grace.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
Meredith Tredeau
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