Hope

Well, here it is New Year's Day. DH is taking a nap before we head out to see DS, 23, and other ds, 17, just woke up (yes, it's 2 in the afternoon!) and is enjoying his mancave time downstairs. Me, I probably could take a nap but decided to log on instead.

I think I have been the recipient of several God-breezes lately (thank you, flylady -- see flylady.net) that all came together today. For some reason, the concept of 'hope' has been on my mind. I've been thinking about its role in our lives, and how just a change of perspective from despair (the absence of hope) to one of hopefulness can change EVERYTHING. And then someone anonymously sent me a silver star ornament in the mail yesterday with the word 'hope' engraved on it. And then, DH played this video for me today and I was all like, 'What is going on here?' Click on the link below and let's just say, I LOVE IT. I need to watch this every morning and probably several times throughout the day until it becomes a part of me.



I love this video for several reasons, but the most important one has to do with the truth - one that is easy to forget - of how our mindset can affect our actions and thus, my life and the lives of others. When I am in despair, I am predisposed to act a certain way both towards myself and towards others, and I have no doubt that my actions when I am in this place do not help anyone, including me. In essence, my actions keep me stuck in an unhelpful place. But when I have hope, I DO act differently, and in many ways I am an entirely different person -- or perhaps I am able to access the best part of myself, who I truly am and want to be. The amazing truth is that it is precisely these different, hopeful actions which have the power to bring about the change I seek or the change that is needed.