Finding Hope for Today

Can you even imagine the joy the family of Jamey Closs might feel?

The details just coming out, it doesn’t matter at this point, because the joy of having her back is more than one can imagine.

We have driven those parts of Wisconsin, heavily wooded, not so far off the main roads, but certainly out of the way. This is a quiet oasis for some, but was an unbelievable hell for this young girl. One cannot imagine what she might have gone through.

Now the recovery begins, I would guess this lasts a lifetime.

For the family and really the rest of us that have followed along since the 15th of October we start to get answers. We start putting the pieces together. For all time this is now a sign of hope. Whenever we feel like all is dire, we can think about the possibility that maybe things will be okay. Maybe we can endure because Jayme did. She somehow escaped. Prayers of her family, friends and frankly anyone who heard the story are answered.

What are you losing hope about? What feels so dire you can’t imagine getting it turned around?

Take a minute to think about what you can do about it. Say a prayer, think positive thoughts, and hold out hope. Because I like a good list, make a list of everything you could possibly do to help the situation, add the people who might help you through this situation.

But know there is always hope, there is always a chance. We might not know what the outcome is, we might not realize why things are happening but we know that prayers are answered; we know that there is light at the end of most tunnels.

I have been told that I have a Pollyannaish type attitude, that I just don’t understand what it is like to be truly depressed. This is true. But no matter what I have been through I have always managed to have hope, I have always managed to be able to pull myself up from my bootstraps (if I had bootstraps) and move on. But as my husband wisely reminds, “you cannot judge your insides by someone else’s outside”. We don’t know how people really feel on the inside.

I make my case here for three things.
One is to be kind to one another. We don’t know what someone else is going though.

Two, we need others, others to lean on when we are down, others to remind us to get help that is out there. (Most employers have EAP programs that can help with professional counseling)

Three, there is always hope. The case of Jayme Closs reminds us that we can never give up. For her family, her community, for anyone who followed the story, we will hope for good days ahead.

By the way, I have a daughter named Hope…I knew in my life I would always need it!

Today, I wish you peace and hope!