A diamond is not ashamed that it was forged in fire-excruciating and challenging it's very existence as a lump of coal. The pressure, coupled with millennia of darkness transfigured it from an ugly, common, worthless substance into an awe inspiring brilliance. It's very essence, situated amongst the immortals, when once it could only feed their fires. When others gaze upon its presence, they see not only its commanding facade, but their own, refracted in its illuminating – connecting all three with vision, identity and a view of what they might be like could they withstand the pressure fire and the most painful of the transfiguring elements; time. We must see ourselves as a process – on going, transformed and eternal, rather than blame the past or shame ourselves for what we did or did not do, could or could not have done. At times, a diamonds only light is it self but even with just a glimmer, it transcends oblivion and heralds eternity, as it illumes the dark. Honor the past with remembrance, blame or suffer no more. Be not the diamonds you were meant to be but rather the one you are; Shine. Dad

~Scott Sandvig 3.27.17~