When I was just a little girl of about five or six years old I asked my father, why bad things happen to nice people?

My father responded by saying that, "Bad things don't exist for those who can find the good in any situation. Obstacles are just stepping stones to success. Always remember that a little rain storm will enter your life at some point, just keep your umbrella handy and let the rain wash your tears away."

Those words from my father gave me courage, strength and the determination to be successful in life. They helped me be the best that I can be and to believe in by abilities. They helped me to believe in the goodness of mankind, and to be willing to forgive the flaws in myself and others.

Those words helped me in life to pour myself out to people and open my heart and my life to any and everyone with whom I came into contact.

They helped me to overcome doubts and will myself to speak, write and live a positive manner. I reached for the stars the moon and the heavens, was able to believe in love, embraced every opportunity given to me to help my fellow man. They inspired me to make a positive difference in the lives of other.

As a writer and a speaker I know that I have thousands of opportunities to reach out and make a positive difference in the world. I always tried to understand what others feel when they are fearful, stressed and broken.

Approximately three weeks ago a thunderstorm came into my life, (it did not just rain as my father said it would). There were winds of pain, rain that beat so hard on my face that left welts, and the darkness of uncertainty that raised my fears above and beyond words that I are in my vocabulary.

I saw a vision of myself as a beaten, and defeated soldier, and just when I thought that I would have to surrender to my captors, I saw a beautiful elegant, woman who opened her mouth and spoke, her words were like music -- sweet, soft melodious music -- to my ears. The words she sang went something like this, “We are not always at fault for the bad things that happen to us, we live in a world where people needs each other and some people understands that law of nature, while others embrace the act of selfishness and a strong desire to gain supremacy at any cost.

The voice that spoke to me from above the pit that I had sunk into came from my youngest daughter.

Inspired once again by the power of positive words, I began the daunting task of learning once again to believe in the power of my mind so that I could Set The Stage For A Successful Life.

I truly thought that since I had lived more that a half a century I had pretty much gone through all my trails and tribulations, I was wrong.

Growing is an eternal blessing given to mankind, even when we believe that we have stop growing in our otter bodies, growth continues in our inner self.

We often hear the saying, “he or she has out grown each other”, that is a statement that holds much truth.

The human body, mind and spirit maintain it through continuous growth. We feel pain and sometimes failure, which is really the indications to us that we are experiencing some form of change in our lives. During that transition I felt angry and became depressed. I wanted an exit ... I wanted to run away.

Yet amid the depths, there came a voice of comfort and reason, arms of love and compassion, a coach to that lifted me so that I could get through to the other side. I made it through ... I won race against bad things happening to good people and achieved much more that I had hoped for.

The lesson that I learned is that I did not have to succumb to the negative. Because of my child who spoke lovingly to me, and friends who stretched out their hands to me, I have hope, faith, and belief in the power of positive thinking.

What is your story? Are you a good person who is experiencing a storm? If you are, take heart. Listen for the positive voice, look for the good in the bad, and believe in the power of positive thinking

You too can set your stage for your success, and be the winner you really are.

This is dedicated to Andrea for sharing wisdom and the positive voice when I most needed it, and to my friends who stood with me in the rain.