A compliment, I think

I was talking to a woman who recently went through a very bitter divorce. I braced myself for the "losing my husband through divorce is just as bad as what you experienced" speech, but it didn't come. In fact, she said something to the effect that while her divorce seemed to have brought out the very worst in herself and her husband and her son, Ken's diagnosis and death had brought out the best in my family. In her observation, my husband, my children and I grew stronger, got closer and matured because of our ordeal.

Months ago, I probably would not have understood what she meant. Now I have the advantage of perspective and see that she is right about us. However, I would still give just about anything to not have grown in this way.