Hope


September 12, 2017

I hope... We say it all the time. I think because of its overuse, it has lost its impact. We hope for good things. We hope that things will turn out the way we want them to. 

I saw an acronym before explaining HOPE as Hold On Pain Ends. I used to think that was good advice; however upon giving this acronym more consideration, I realized that to say this to a person whose child has a disability sounds glib and uncaring. The truth is, pain does not always end. There are children who suffer with pain each and every day of their lives and often there is little that their parents can do to alleviate it. So if it is not waiting for a day when pain ends, what is hope and what does it really mean?

I looked it up and apparently the word actually means "to have a feeling of expectation."

We all have great expectations for our kids. HOPE. Hope that when they were (are) born they would be (will be) healthy, hope that we will be good parents and that our kids in turn will grow up to be good people, HOPE that they will be world changers. 

 To me, HOPE is deeper. It is more than just great expectation, but deep desire. 

We all have suffered setbacks in our lives. Many of you who are reading this (myself included) have experienced huge setbacks; like perhaps when your child received a diagnosis. Suddenly your HOPES for your child faded. There was sadness.

BUT it won't rain always. Today might be cloudy, but tomorrow the sun will shine and life can be beautiful again despite the setbacks of yesterday. THAT is what HOPE is- Looking forward and realizing that those hard circumstances that we go through are just that.

 I CHOOSE HOPE. I CHOOSE to expect good things in spite of my circumstances.

Courtland inspires me to HOPE. He looks forward to the future with great expectation... HOPE.

 HOPE is definitely something that we need to hold on to, but not because Pain Ends, but because if we hold on, the sun can shine again. 

I HOPE the best for you and the best for your children. Parents, if you are discouraged... keep on keeping on. HOPE is attractive, allow it to be a beacon in your life that reminds you and others that the future is worth looking forward to despite the disappointments of yesterday or the clouds of today.

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