I have hope

In between the family-filled, happy, oh-so memorable moments of this past week, my mind has drifted. I’ve thought of families I’ve never met living many miles away. I’ve pictured their homes, adorned with lovely decorations of the season, but only, I imagine, because they were there before. I’ve pictured their closets, still, these four days after Christmas, full of toys and books and clothes waiting for their shining moment under the tree. I’ve wondered how you go on living near that closet. How you celebrate through tears. How you live through the sadness that is so great, there is no word that comes close to capturing it.

How do you do it?

As quickly as those thoughts entered my brain, my heart pushed them away. I don’t know how you do it. And right now? I don’t need to know. Picturing myself there doesn’t help them. It doesn’t help me. You don’t prepare yourself for that kind of thing by imagining it. And trying to feel their pain will never bring me even close to what it is they are going through today. Those emotions are reserved for when they are truly called upon.

I don’t need to have their pain. I need to have their hope.

We all do.

Hope is what will get them through. Hope is what will help us all heal. Hope is what will power the movement to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

This month, Raising Humans’ sponsor, Origami Owl, is raising funds for victims of the Newtown, CT tragedy. Visit http://debslockets.OrigamiOwl.com to find out how you can help.

Spread hope across the country. Be a Force for Good!