Challenging roads often lead to beautiful destinations.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be older. Adulthood is not what I expected, though.

One of the toughest decisions in life is determining when to give up or try harder. Sometimes you have to give up one thing to focus more effort on something else.

I decided to write this article after I watched the movie "Beautiful Creatures" a couple of weeks ago. In the film, there was a compelling scene where a pastor was speaking at a funeral about sacrifice.

He said, "I just want to talk to you about a word we don't hear much anymore: sacrifice."

"It's not what I'd call a modern word. People hear the word sacrifice, and they become afraid that something will be taken away from them or that they'll have to give up something they can't live without in a world telling us we can have it all."

This hit me.

Hard.

I remember holding my breath as I watched this scene, as I watched it in awe. There was an overwhelming amount of honest truth in the statement...so much so, that it hit me like a slap in the face.

I was mesmerized by the fact that so many people don't even come close to understanding the truth behind sacrifice.

The pastor went on to say that "True sacrifice is a victory. It requires our free will, to give up something or someone we love for something or someone you love more than yourself."

Success is no accident.

Love is not just a feeling.

Happiness is not handed out like candy.

If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want will become the sacrifice.

We must let go of the life we have planned to accept the life that awaits us.

Martin Luther King, Jr. stated that "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable...Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

So breathe. It's just a bad day, not a bad life.

Be in love with your life, and you will learn how to sacrifice to keep it that way. Embrace the glorious mess that you are and soon you will understand the true meaning of forfeiting something important to you for a better alternative.