Hope

Last week I went to the Empty Chair Service at River Valley Church. I went last year as well and honestly don’t remember much of it except for crying a lot and lighting candles. This year there was still some crying and I did light a candle, but I was also able to take a lot more in and listen more…not only to the pastor, but to my own heart. One of the things that I have been thinking about is hope…

What is Hope?
 
The whisper of a promise
The spark that becomes an ember
The nudge that moves you forward 
     Sometimes 
          Painstakingly
	     Slowly

Fighting tooth and nail against
The torrent holding you back
Keeping you paralyzed 
     Pain 
          Doubt 
               Anger
. 
The night becomes darker
A bitter cold seeps into your bones
Your future unfathomable
     Lonely
          Dreary 
               Dark

But in that dark, cold stillness
When it seems like there is nothing left
Your senses take over 
     A whisper 
          A warmth 
               A tug

And that is Hope