I’ve never met Reba McEntire and I can’t say I know what she meant when she spoke these words but I know what these words speak to me. Life is filled with a variety of challenges, everyone is in recovery from something and each person needs tools in their toolbox to get through each and every day.

A wishbone gives us the ability to dream. We all have a purpose and goals we are meant to chase. Life without purpose just isn’t life.

A backbone is required because life has hard moments, we see injustices every day and we have to have the strength to stand up in the face of any adversity.

Finally we need a funny bone because without laughter to carry us through the injustices and the struggles in living our purpose we would just give up and quit.

Laughter in one hard moment carries us through to the next where we find something new to laugh about. It’s amazing what purpose, backbone and humor can do on a daily basis to keep us going no matter the circumstances. Find our purpose and live it.

See an injustice? Stand against it. Facing a struggle? Laugh long and hard. These tools will carry us through each moment. Keep them close.

Sarah Deats

Sarah Deats is the Arizona Outpatient Support Services Manager at RI International and the Hope Inc. Stories Inspiration Engineer. Her goals are to make a connection with everyone that she can while building community, spreading hope, and sparking change. She believes that while life may not be easy, it is never lived alone.