Dear Reader:
I read once that hope was defined as ” Hope is a match in a dark tunnel, a moment of light, just enough to reveal the path ahead and ultimately the way out.”
There was a study done on children who lived their entire lives growing up in poverty. What separated those who continued to live in despair and poverty, as adults, from those who were lead out of that darkness into the light was hope. The researcher, Dr. Valerie Maholmes, who worked on the research, said hope involves “planning and motivation and determination” to get what one hopes for.
As we are all going through a global transitional period (unlike anything with which to compare)… with more questions than answers…the one common denominator we all desire is hope…hope that a better tomorrow will reveal itself…as the ‘new normal.’
My personal hope is that I will never take the joy of hugging for granted ..not once when we are able to use our human tactile gifts from God again.
Yet still…I just want a hug. I miss a hug.
I was thinking the other day… as Mollie and Mandy sent me pictures of new discoveries and fun daily incidents taking place around my grandchildren… that I do so enjoy hearing from family any time during the day now. This has been a blessing…more communication…even if it is in the form of email, texting or a call.
Rutledge discovering a marine animal partial vertebrae…Jake and Eva Cate discovering a baby turtle that wandered into their yard.
I used to have to wait till evening or even the weekend… sometimes to hear from family or friends who were working and children attending school. Life was just so hectic…it was hard to find a moment of quiet long enough to communicate without falling asleep in sheer exhaustion from each day…for both my adult children and grandchildren.
So…I suppose in a way it is a trade-off…more computer communication and less up close and personal tactile encounters. I’m sorry…I just need a hug now and then. We humans were made that way for a reason…I’m counting on God being a really Big Hugger when I meet Him…and then I will have an eternity of hugs to look forward to…
And hope…the one entity left in Pandora’s box…when all the other evils flew out into the world….disease, pandemics, illnesses, suffering, sadness, etc. I believe that the reason hope was captured and left inside is because “Hope dies last.”
Humans need to be able to hope for good even in the darkest hours. Even in a situation where there there’s no escape… people still hope. Hope was the eternal gift left humans…and remains with the human throughout life. The gift from the “gods” ….today the gift from God. Once we get to eternity we won’t need hope any more. We will become hope in all its magnificence.
So until tomorrow…C. S. Lewis explained hope in this fashion.
“Hope is a continual looking forward to the eternal world. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that true Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought the most of the next. In other words…they tried to bring a little heaven into human life on earth while they lived in it.”
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
Susan sent some funny sayings yesterday and one really hit home. When the quarantine began, in March, I had about half a tank of gasoline. Yesterday I filled my car up for the first time. Another blessing…saving money on gas and helping pollution in the bargain! I am sure the earth enjoys one less cough!
No explanation needed…too much togetherness obviously 🙂
The new hugging Facebook icon…even Facebook needed a hug too.
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
Good Wednesday morning, Becky!
I, too, am craving hugs! Loved what all you said about hope. And the CS Lewis quote was perfect.
We’re getting about the same gas mileage you are! Sigh. (I “borrowed” that and posted it on FB!)
We’re as well as can be expected – getting projects done bit by bit – writing cards and notes to grands and those who have touched our lives – walking the dog – wearing our face masks when going into a store (even though the workers either aren’t wearing any at all or are wearing them hanging from their chin!!) – just trying to maintain our “hope” that this pandemic will leave us all and we can get back to our “normal” (whatever THAT is!) lives. The other day we went with several neighbors down to the tennis court area (just down the street, actually) in our individual golf carts, bringing our drink of choice, and we had a social gathering – staying the prescribed 6′ away from each other. It was SO nice. But that was a really warm day; for the next couple of days we’re going to have VERY chilly nights and the daytime highs will struggle to get above 50. I am SO ready for consistent warm weather! (I know – need to come to the Low Country, right?)
Stay well. Keep blogging! Together, with our “hope” intact, we’ll overcome all of this!
Love you and miss you!
Sis
How wonderful to hear from you Sis…another hope satisfied! 🙂 It is strange how we take quick little hugs from friends and family so for granted and never give them a second thought until we have to do without….and we realize we humans need that physical contact with another human….in other words we can’t live in a world without love manifesting itself in a hug for a very long without craving the physical support we need in life. But we will get there…hope is alive and well…maybe we can hug time and tell it to finish its job with this pandemic and move on.