Defined or Strengthened

From the Granny Jones Australian Tarot, the Five of Buttons; from the Button Oracle, Eagle:

When something bad happens, you have three choices. You can either let it define you, let is destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you. ―Theodor Geisel

When we see folks who have a run of bad luck, we automatically try to figure out what they did to land there. It's a way to make us feel better, as if we can prevent it from happening to us. But sometimes we find ourselves in a landslide of difficulties, no matter how savvy we think we are. Do we let these things define us as someone who never gets a break, as someone who always gets a raw deal? You can bet our lives will begin to resemble exactly that if we do. Yet Eagle reminds us to take a broader view of things and to use discernment in our situation. First, we may find allies who can offer advice or help. We may learn to pay more attention to red flags we ignored before. If we look wider than our own pain, we will see troubles come to all and develop compassion. If we zero in on what we can do (rather than what we can't control), we may take a small action that has a domino effect of good results.