Hold on to Hope

 

It is true.  We are living in interesting and difficult times.  Looking around us we cannot deny that the world seems to be in chaos.  With everything we hear on the news and social media it is quite understandable that we could think that it is all hopeless.  However, the good news is that hope is not a word for the good times.  Hope is at its most powerful when life seems murky and dark.  That is when hope is a beam of light, a whisper amid the noise and hope is what makes the impossible possible.

Yet, holding onto hope can be difficult.  When we look at the situation we find ourselves in, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.  It can paralyze us.  The trick is to take it one step at a time. Focus on the step right in front of you.  Take it with confidence and faith.  Do not weary yourself by think of all that could go wrong, just take this one step and do it the best you can.

The next important thing in order to live in hope is to think of one positive thing about your current situation.  Write it down.  Hold onto it.  Remind yourself of it constantly.  In every situation there will be something positive, we may just have to search for it diligently.  Even just the tiniest spark is enough to drive away the darkness.

When we are caught up in a stressful situation, and when we feel as if all is lost, it is very easy to forget to take care of ourselves.  This, however, is the time we should make a point of nurturing ourselves.  Do at least one thing every day which nurtures you.  Even if it is just drinking a cup of coffee under the shade of a tree.  Grant yourself a moment to breathe and to recuperate. Be kind to yourself.  We are always so busy to be everything to everybody that we forget about ourselves.  Remember, that we are only able to give when we have something to give.  That is why it is important to fill our own emotional and physical resevoirs too.  Go outside, get sunlight on your skin and breathe.

It is also important to eat healthy during times of stress.  Our bodies need good nutrition to help us cope during times of stress.  Also make sure you stay hydrated and that you get enough rest.   Don't forget to get some exercise as well.  A brisk walk does wonders for the body.  Exercise releases endorphins, dopamine, as well as seratonin which all help to trigger positive feelings.  It helps to boost our mood and to think clearly. Go outside, get sunlight on your skin and breathe.

When we are going through a crises we often feel alone and isolated from the rest of society.  This can lead to greater feelings of despair and hopelessness.  However, you are not alone.  There are people who genuinely care and would gladly listen to you and help in which ever way they can.  Don't be afraid to reach out to them.  It is important to talk to somebody.  Having a confidant could help you gain perspective as well as support.  If you need help, ask for it.

Never let go of hope.

H.O.P.E.

Hold On, Pray Earnestly.

Treasure the Moment

 

It's quite a windy and overcast day in August.  There is a promise of rain carried on the breeze. Most of the people I know cannot wait for the winter to pass and I myself long for the warmer days, especially when I walk into my deep-freeze kitchen.  However, it is sad that we do not appreciate the beauty which makes Winter a season to be treasured.

There is a serenity in a winter landscape.  Beautiful, bare trees are etched against crisp pale-blue skies and the sun is twinkling on frost-covered lawns.  The sharp touch of the frosty air on my cheeks, white vapour escaping from my nostrils, and my fingers tingling right to the fingertips invigorate my thoughts.

So often we are so focused on what comes next that the beauty of today, this moment, slips by us unnoticed.  Often we are wrapped up in the past with its pain and failures that we pay little attention to the present.  Even our worries about the future rob us of the simple pleasures to be found in this moment.  Every moment is a capsule of perfection and every breath a miracle.  We are surrounded by beauty.  Petals dancing in the wind, the dust motes floating in a beam of sunlight, the curl of a kitten's tail against your leg, and the smell of freshly turned earth are all precious moments of beauty that pass by unnoticed in our rush to get to the next important thing.

Maybe the beauty of Winter is in the moments we linger just a little longer over a cup of coffee, savouring its heat, and noticing these glimpses of beauty that are best enjoyed at the very moment they are happening.  Maybe we should all take a deep breath, feel how it fills up our lungs and feel the warmth of it as it flows over our lips.  Just for a moment forget where you have to be in the next five minutes or what you have to cook for supper, just be present in the moment and observe, really see, where you are right now.  Do you feel the fabric of the chair you are sitting on, do you hear the hum of the fluorescent light and the heat of the fire warming the room?  Do you hear the laughter of your teenage daughter as she talks on the phone to her best friend?  Do you
feel the warmth of your puppy snuggled against you?  Don't let the moment pass by unnoticed.  Be aware of it and treasure it.  Be alive right now and be blessed. 

Dare to Dream

 

"...once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return...."

-Leonardo Da Vinci

I am a dreamer.  I often catch myself watching the butterflies in summer, flying effortlessly wherever they will, and as I watch they steal my thoughts and take my imagination along on their flight.  My family will often find me like that and with a jolt, I will return to the here and now.  More often than not this was the very thing that got me into trouble at school.  Physically I was in the classroom, but my thoughts were miles away soaring on gossamer wings.....

Dreams are beautiful, wonderful, and despite what some people believe, very necessary.  Many extraordinary things have been discovered and invented by dreamers.  However, dreams are like Faith.  Faith is a glorious word, and by itself it is wonderful.  Faith is a gift, but Faith truly begins to mean something when we actively start doing what we confess to believe.  The same with dreams, they only begin to mean something when we start following our dreams. 

Yet, very few of us really, truly have the courage to follow our dreams.  Most of us can't even say our dreams out loud, some amongst us might get as far as writing them down, but only a small percentage will actually grab hold of them and make them real.  Why would that be?  Fear.  A little four-letter word.  It should be classified as a swear word.  Fear of failure.  Fear that we will be ridiculed.  Fear that others, who are equally afraid to follow their dreams, will point and laugh.  Fear that we may actually succeed and have to face up to the responsibility.

Whatever the reason for our fears, they are dream-stealers.  They condemn us to a flightless life.  They leave behind the bitter taste of "if only".  The best antidote for fear is Faith.  Faith in God, who is the giver of dreams, but also faith in yourself.  If you can dream it, you CAN do it.  It does not matter what the world says about your dreams, what THEIR expectations are of you or your dreams.  It has nothing to do with the world, it has everything to do with you!

Yes, I am a dreamer, and for many years my own fears have kept my dreams in check, but today, right now I AM living my dream and having the greatest fun while doing it.  It does not matter any longer what the world is saying or even whether the world is taking notice of me and my dreams.  I am soaring on gossamer wings and calling to you to follow me.  If you flutter by here, please feel free to share your dreams with me, I would love to dream them with you and encourage you along your way......