Alchemizing Burdens into Blessings

I've come to the crazy conclusion
that my trauma serves a divine purpose.
For I have taken the time
and made the effort
to find some way to alchemize
my burdens into blessings.

I allowed my loneliness
to empower me to reach out
and befriend those
who felt isolated by their awkwardness.
I allowed the imperfections
that I noted and disliked in myself
to be the very things that I loved about others,
and eventually recognized this
as a stepping stone to self-love.

My hardships, my trials and tribulations,
my struggles all have had
a divine purpose all along.
But I was too caught up in grief
and self-pity to see it.
The truth of this alchemy
can be seen in my poetry,
can be seen in my empathy.
The divine purpose was shown
every time I chose to reach out
to those who reminded me of myself.
The divine purpose was visible
every time I helped a child.
The divine purpose manifested itself
in the form of deep, lasting friendships,
in the form of the patience and compassion
I have for others.

Could it be that these challenging experiences
were digging a cavernous well within me
to be filled with love, light, tenderness, and grace,
enabling me to walk through life with compassion
as my knee-jerk reaction for every interaction?