From the holiday of Chanukah, Rabotai (my masters), we learn a tremendous lesson for every day of our lives. Try to picture this. The Chashmona'im walked inside the Beit HaMikdash after over a hundred years during which the Yevanim—the Greeks—had basically destroyed the Jewish community, totally taken us away from Torah, tried to ruin the Mizbeach (altar), and tried to ruin the Menorah (lampstand). They broke the gates of the Beit HaMikdash. The Chashmona'im walked in and saw blood all over the place. They saw destruction. And what was the first thing the Chashmona'im did? They tried looking for Shemen (oil) to relight the Menorah. Why would that be the first thing they did? Shouldn't they be depressed when they walked in? Sad? Sit Shiva (seven-day mourning period)? And the destruction that happened inside the Beit HaMikdash?
The Chashmona'im over here taught us a tremendous lesson. Even though a person can sometimes see choshech (darkness), see destruction—a person can see darkness—the Chashmona'im taught us to always look for the positive at the same time. Always look for that little Shemen, for that little Pach Shemen, the jug of oil that's going to be able to relight your life and bring Kedusha—holiness—to your life. So even though the Chashmona'im walked inside the Beit HaMikdash and everything was all over the place, it was messy, it was overwhelming, of course they were sad about it. But at the same time, they were looking to move weiter, as they say in Yiddish. They were looking to move into the future, to grow, to build, to look forward. So what did they do? They looked for the Shemen to relight the Menorah in order to build a much better future.
So too, every single person in their life: whatever happened, happened, and whatever they're going through, they're going through. Of course, a person should do Teshuvah and repent and see: Why is Hashem sending this Yissurim (suffering) to me? But at the same time, look for that Pach Shemen. Look for the positive that should give you the energy to serve Hashem and grow a much better future for yourself. That's what we learned from the Yom Tov (holiday) of Chanukah.