Emily Swallow Instagram – Have you ever met someone whose natural state seems to be joy and optimism…and only later do you discover that they’ve been through deep, painful suffering? Then you realize their hope and positivity are a deliberate, powerful CHOICE in the face of lingering sadness. That choice seems like a superpower when you see that they do not mind sitting with you in your own struggle. It sometimes feels absolutely involuntary to try to get as far away from discomfort as possible, but our pain and our suffering can be a tremendous gift to others. Challenge is inevitable. Suffering is unavoidable…and when someone who has experienced our suffering comes up alongside us and says “me too,” we feel less alone. Today’s #thisisthewaywednesday highlights someone who has popped up in the background of many of my posts already. @robkeisacker is part of the backbone of @voicesagainstcancer Against Cancer and his vulnerable, generous expression of what he, his wife, Nicole and their daughter Cassandra experienced when his son Ian passed away from cancer was a motivating factor in my desire to get involved. Rob brings absolute joy, vitality, determination, and selflessness to everything he does for the group because he wants every honored child, every sibling and every parent to know that they are not alone. There is not a day that passes without the Keisackers missing Ian, but Rob has told me that he sees and feels the blessings that come from Ian’s story helping others. He lives to serve, and I challenge you to keep yourself from smiling and laughing when you’re hanging out with him. December 21 marks the 9th anniversary of Ian’s passing, and every year Rob urges friends and family to do something in Ian’s honor. Will you heed that call in your own life? This week, take a moment to do something that helps you remember someone you’ve lost or to extend a hand to someone else who is feeling loss. We are stronger together. #thisistheway #forthefoundlings #givekidsavoice #pediatriccancer #iansthumbsupfund #thearmorer