It has been another great day. It is nice to be able to do some musing - which is what the blog was supposed to be about. Sharing my thoughts and feelings as I travel this chapter in my life - a way to have a written record of this important journey. Today I would like to write about hope. I know many of you have had very personal experiences with cancer or other serious diseases. And I know that even more of you have had lots of reasons to have hope - even when others think you shouldn't. It can be difficult to get your mind to do two very contradictory things when given a terminal diagnosis. You hear the facts, at least to the best of the Doctors' abilities, skills and knowledge, and yet have to stay positive and believe you will beat it. I think I may be stealing this statement, but what you need to do is "plan for the worst and believe in the best." Which really is what hope is - one definition is "a chance that something desirable will happen or be possible". We must have hope. And we all need to plan for the worst anyway. We just don't usually think about it until we are quite a bit older or when faced with a critical illness. So, we keep our hope and belief that something desireable will happen and that things go our way. I used to feel so sad for those families who were facing terminal cancer issues. It is the weirdest thing - I often felt more sad for others than I have felt for us. Perhaps it is because we have to deal with it so intensely and initimately. Perhaps we make sure we treasure the good times - even if they come in minutes and not days and weeks. One thing for sure - cancer may take many things away from us - but we are determined to make sure it doesn't steal the happiness of the moment. We can control that. And we continually have hope. I can't emphasize enought that it isn't just a wishful hope - but a true, deep down commitment to believe that things will be better. As I was going through some old papers, I found this poem. I know I gain insight and understanging from such things, and hope you might also.
YOU STILL HAVE HOPE
If you can look at the sunset and smile, then you still have hope.
If you can find the beauty in the colours of a small flower, then you still have hope.
If you can find the pleasure in the movement of a butterfly, then you still have hope.
If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, then you still have hope.
If you can see the good in other people, then you still have hope.
If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep, then you still have hope.
If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and wonder, then you still have hope.
If the soft fur of a favoured pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope.
If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism, then you still have hope.
If you give people the benefit of a doubt, then you still have hope.
If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life,
then you still have hope.
If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope.
If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration, then you still have hope.
If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope.
If you look forward to a time or place of quiet or reflection, then you still have hope.
If you still buy the ornaments, put up the Christmas tree or cook the turkey, then you still have hope.
If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy, then you still have hope.
If you can look to the past and smile, then you still have hope.
If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile, you can still look up and end the conversation with "yeah, but..." then you still have hope.
Hope is such a marvelous thing.
It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides, but rarely does it break.
It sustains us when nothing else can.
It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead, when we tell ourselves we'd rather give in.
Hope puts a smile on our face when the heart cannot manage.
Hope puts our feet on the path when our eyes cannot see it.
Hope moves us to act when our souls are confused of the direction.
Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nurtured, and something that will refresh us in return.
And it can be found in each of us, and it can bring light into the darkest of places.
NEVER LOOSE HOPE!!!
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