Hope

Today I had another one of life's lessons that I wanted to share on this blog. Some may find it thought-provoking while others may find it totally boring. It is about the subject of hope.

Many of you that know me are aware of my "summer project" that has kept me busy for several weeks and pretty much ended today. It was really a project I believed in, was driven toward and could not give up on even when I was met with the looks of doubt and despair by so many of my peers.

The definition of hope includes a line that says "believing that a better or positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary." I have a poster in my office that says "Don't ever take away a persons hope....that may be all they have." My summer project involved someone just like that. He really needed hope. That was all. Just some hope. Sure, he needed some material things as well....and I was fortunate to have some great folks helping me along with that.

But mostly he needed people along the way to give him hope. I have often been moved to tears as I have watched people along our journey. Yes, I have had to get loud on the phone a few times to make things happen for my project....but happen they did! I have watched as the small gestures have warmed and calmed him along his journey...a sweet lady named Rose that generously poured her heart into her job and made him feel so comfortable....a guy named Ray on the phone who assured him that he was taking care of things on his end....a lady named Judy who offered hope through her agency....another lady that met me on a Saturday with a load of supplies....a lady at another agency whose desk puts mine to shame because she is so covered up with work yet she found time to help out...and today again that gentle reassuring hand of hope that reached out to reassure and to say it will be alright and come see her if it is not...."here is my name."

I remember when I was busy doing so much volunteer work that people often said that you get back so much more than you give. That was always true. I think that it is true in the case of offering hope to people as well.

Today I was able to offer hope to someone after weeks of working toward a goal. We met the goal and now it is up to him to see what he does with it. But he has hope now where he didn't before. The possibilities are in his hands where there were none.

And by doing this, it seems that I have also taken a deep breath and brought fresh air into my own life and new hope and a new way of viewing my world. It isn't about the material things that we all get so wrapped up in. I won't miss the money that has been spent on my summer project. But I have invested in someone's hope...someone's dream....and by doing so I have paused to think about my own. I am so lucky.