Hope

In this life, I believe we rely on many things to keep us safe, grounded, connected; to survive all those crazy curve balls that are inevitably hurled at us when we least expect them and most definitely are not looking! I have been accused of being a “Polly Anna”. While I do not blindly believe that everything will be ok, I still gladly accept that label with one caveat: my belief is not blind faith or naiveté; I believe that whatever happens in our lives we will survive and through the experience we find truth and love and grace.

It is my hope that everything has a purpose, a reason … and that we are all exactly where we are supposed to be, with the person we are supposed to be with, living the life we were meant to live and, yes, even taking those risks that we are supposed to be taking (that could easily change our life’s course in an instant); and that in the end, we will all be exactly where we are supposed to be. And, whatever experiences life is so gracious at presenting us with, those experiences will yield us deeper connections, a more confident grounding and a safety in ourselves that we can get through anything: heartbreak, disappointment, abandonment, death.

This is what I hope for … this is what I live inside of; it has opened me up to learning, forgiving, loving, enduring and to so many wonderful experiences that have made me a better woman, boss, wife, mother, friend, daughter. There is a great line from one of my favorite books (and one of my favorite authors), Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver:

“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. The most you can do is live inside that hope, running down its hallways, touching the walls on both sides.” 

Isn’t that visual everything: running down the hallways, touching the walls on both sides … of your hope! Just think, for a minute, what that must feel like. Living inside of my hope provides perspective and a sense of freedom … from fear, pain, sadness and worry.

What do you live inside of?