What is one thing I know now that would have made life easier?

Only one? Well, bless my heart. That feels a little like standing at a church potluck and being told to pick one casserole.

My first thought was a good-man detector. Something small enough to fit in a purse, but loud enough to holler, “Honey, date him if you must, but do not marry him.” That little contraption might have saved me three short stints with men who were better suited for supper on Friday night than a shared last name.

Then I thought maybe I would choose a warning about children: they grow up. Not just taller, either. They become full-grown people with opinions, lives, and corners of themselves a mother may not recognize. You spend years knowing which cup they want and how they take their sandwiches, and one day you realize there are whole rooms in their hearts you have never visited.

But if I am being honest, and at this point in life, honesty is much lighter to carry than pretending, I am not sure I would trade any of it for an easier road.

All the ups and downs, the drama, the foolishness, and the seasons when life seemed to have misplaced the instruction manual have spread themselves through the years. Tucked among them are memories I would not know how to live without. The hard parts did not arrive alone. They brought laughter, people, lessons, and those small mercies that still glow when I look back.

It was not all bad. It was not all good, either. And I do not recall ever reading a promise that life would be easy—not even in the Bible. Scripture is plain about struggles, troubles, and trials. God does not promise to keep us from every storm. He promises not to leave us in one.

When I look back now, I can see it: a trail of God moments winding through places I once thought were only messes. A door closed here. A hand extended there. Strength showing up five minutes after I was certain I had none left. Grace has a quiet way of leaving breadcrumbs.

So perhaps the one thing I know now is this… an easier life is not necessarily a better one. I learned as I went, stumbled more than once, and occasionally married when I should have merely ordered dessert. But the journey gave me memories, sharpened my faith, and honed a strength I might never have discovered on a smooth road.

I am grateful for what was, thankful for what is, and learning not to fuss too much over what might have been. Life has not been easy, but it has been mine. And looking back over the miles, I can say with a full heart… God was there, all along.