No pain no gain?

I just read this in an email forwarded by a friend. It’s from some sort of essay or speech written by Tony Snow who recently died from cancer.

I don’t know much about Tony Snow other than he was a media guy who then became Bush’s Press Secretary. But in amongst his essay, in which he clearly seems to be coming to terms with his illness and the imminent finality of his life, there is this one quote that I keep mulling over:

The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.

As a glass-half-full sort of gal (most of the time), I am really liking that idea. If I'm gonna be in pain (physical or otherwise), it's nice to think that at least maybe I might gain something from it.