Hope is a Four Letter Word

I am hopeful about so many things.

I am hopeful that I will see Darian again.
I am hopeful that Jace will find acceptance and happiness.
I am hopeful that we will, someday, buy a house.
I am hopeful that Savana will have a beautiful wedding that is perfect for her and Guerin.

I am hopeful that I will be around to watch the sunset this evening.
I am hopeful that this too shall pass.
I am hopeful that winter will someday turn to spring to summer to fall and winter again.

I am hopeful that our nation will rise from the ashes.
I am hopeful that Luke will find his way.
I am hopeful that grief will turn to joy.

This week I have learned something that has changed my world and that is this: sometimes we have to recognize that we aren't from the cookie cutter mold and we have to take steps accordingly. Sometimes nobody is wrong. Sometimes we have to stop squeezing and prodding in order to fit.

Sometimes we simply have to stop fighting and find a new way.

Last night I coerced Tammy into coming home with me to see my house. Lots of changes have occurred this week and my living room looks brand new. It's a much needed change...as in it should have happened about six years ago...but that's okay. Kudos, furniture for providing a place for me to sit no matter how worn you appeared!

Anyway, I took Tammy through my house and showed her the different changes I've made, and she oohed and aahed appropriately. She's a great cheerleader. No. I'm serious. She is a G-R-E-A-T cheerleader. It's one of her special gifts. So, you know, I felt like a million bucks. And that's a great way to feel.

But as always happens when we get together, we started talking about our lives and about stuff that doesn't matter and about stuff that does matter. And as she was leaving, she stopped midway down the sidewalk, turned and looked at me through the darkness. And she said:

Hope is a powerful word. It's the most powerful word of the English language. It even surpasses love. It's a reason to wake up in the morning and it's the reason that when times are tough, we can still take one more step.

She's so right.

Hope is a four letter word that turns ashes into promise, devastation into rising, regret into moving forward.

And this morning? I am filled with hope.