This morning I sat outside in a brutal downpour with a group of men who embody excellence. We had finished a four mile run where we leapt over huge puddles and watched raindrops relentlessly splatter the lake, ourselves, and everyone else insane enough to be out in this weather. The high energy of the run made the rain tolerable, and it cleared up over the last mile, just in time for our fifteen minute meditation. But as we sat on the low stone wall, eyes closed, it returned with a vengeance.

I did not like getting rained on during the meditation. It was cold and annoying and a distraction from other more desired thought trails. But then I thought: What if this was a luxury? What if I was paying a lot of money for the Rain Rejuvenation Deluxe Experience? What if I embraced the rain?

The moment that idea entered my mind, the rain went from annoying and cold to clean and refreshing. It was a gift instead of a nuisance. I found something to enjoy in the unenjoyable.

What if every so-called negative experience could be luxurious? One could experience the Bad Breakup Bundle that lasts for a month or a season or a year. It's a first-class dive into emotional turbulence, self-discovery, and letting go. Or perhaps the Family Member Passing Premium Package provides new perspectives on love, gratitude, and presence. Or maybe the Unemployment Hardship Intensive includes priceless lessons on persistence, education, and equanimity.

When the rain accosted us on the run, I thought: I get to do this. I can run. There's going to come a time when I wish I could run, that's going to happen. But I'm not there yet. My health, my prioritization of fitness, and my enjoyment of running are all luxuries.

We are rich. The dead envy us. Everything that happens to us happens for us. There are gifts everywhere, waiting for us to see them, acknowledge them, appreciate them. Dare to enjoy the abundance of treasures in your life when you alchemize what you resist.