The Gift of Hope.

The other night as a storm raged outside, every fiber of my body wanted nothing more than to sink blissfully into a sleep induced by the mesmerizing sounds of the rain. I was instead kept awake, watching my dear little boy trying to find peace and rest in the midst of the sounds that bring him nothing but terror. You see, the sounds that I find peaceful and beautiful, sounds that make me want to sip a cup of tea and read a good book by candle light, make my son shiver with intense fear and seek a hiding place—usually with our dog who suffers from the same phobia.

Once I got over the fact that sleep for me was only a distant dream I began to think (I do this a lot). I realized how this fear, though it plagues him and causes emotional distress, is nothing like the fear that many live with. The world is filled with men, women, and children who live in fear of the abuses they are subjected to daily. These victims are often hardly noticeable from our comfortable homes, through the sounds of rain and whirl of life. They live on the edge of society, a ghost from another time. But if you look closely, you can’t miss the injustice which fills our world, and the people who are its voiceless victims. My heart weeps for the lack of regard we have for human life. We look at the cruelty of other periods and consider individuals barbarians for their behavior, but we seldom look at the atrocities of today. Right in our own backyards, people are harmed and abused without regard to the life and potential behind each set of eyes.

Fear is something that many live with daily, but we can do something about it. Just as when my son lies terrified of a storm and I comfort him, I can work toward alleviating the fear of others who suffer from injustice by restoring their hope. “Hope uncovers new possibilities and shows us what can be done. It wrestles with angels, looks impossibilities in the eye and winks. Hope springs eternal.” --Barbara Johnson.

In our hands is the power to give hope to those who suffer from injustice. That is what organizations like the Heart and Soul Café, Arbor House, and Peaceful Paths do. And you can help: pick up your panties, gird up your loins (I’ve always wanted to use both expressions) and give your time, money, or both. Partner with us to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, to restore hope to those who have lost it.

Let’s not sit idly by as the storms of life terrorize the hopeless. Let’s give hope.