"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Yes, that is today's Buddhist inspirational quote.  I know I depend on them probably way too often to start out a blog post but when I read something that rings true to me, I want to share it.

Emily Dickinson (although for some reason I thought it was Maya Angelou) said "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul...".  I've always thought this was such a positive thought.  The idea that everyone has a fragile bit of Hope inside and all it needs is some encouragement to come forth.

My job here at the mental health center is varied and changes all the time.  One part of it is to run what we call Social Rehabilitation groups.  I do communication skills, medication management, positive mental attitude and now poetry.  One of the recurring topics (besides talking about how the medications makes us sleepy) is Hope. 

Hope is the thing that keeps us going when it is all going to hell in a handbasket.  I don't know how people get along without it.  I've learned that to instill Hope in someone can be a great gift but it can be one of the most difficult things to do.  But oh boy, when someone starts to find the bit of hope inside them and they see a possible future?  The change in them is amazing. 

And it's free!  And it cost so much sometimes.  Being able to put your hopes out there for the world to crush takes such courage.  And to get back up and keep moving forward after being crushed?  That takes a special kind of courage.  Some of the people I work with every day have that courage and no matter what life throws at them, they keep on getting back up and trying again.  It's amazing and wonderful.

So, today I'm going to focus on Hope.  I'm going to spread as much of it around as I can.  We're heading into the deep of winter here (although once again our temps are heading into the 50-60 degree range) and we can all use a bit of Hope that the warmth is coming back and things will be green again. 


I called Namaste about the broken bag and they responded immediately.  "Send us a photo and we'll send you a new bag".  I emailed them a photo of the torn section and they are mailing me a new bag today.  They apologized for the defective one.  They have earned my loyalty.

Pk had fun taking the magnets out of the flap of the bag.  He loves to take things apart and "see how they work".  I have always known this about him.  He has played with my expired epi pens, taken apart talking holiday cards, and now taken the magnets out of the broken bag.  He discovered to his delight that they use Rare Earth magnets.  I don't know anything about them except 1) they are very strong 2) they are very fragile and 3) you should not swallow them (why you would want to, I have no idea).  He is enjoying playing with them.

At the doctor's last week, they gave me doxicycline to clear up my sinus infection.  I did the bad thing and stopped taking it after 7 days.  It was making me so sick and giving me actual pain.  It's been 2 days and my esophagus/stomach area still hurts when I eat.  I have a dr appointment on the 7th and I'll talk to her about it.  I think it's one more drug I'll cross off my list. 

Other than that?  Everything is good here.  We are enjoying our "space" and coming up with all kinds of ideas on how we can best use it.  One of my favorite parts is that I am not isolated when I'm in the kitchen.  I can take part in the conversations around me. 

I have one skein spun and plied for my sweater and am halfway through another.  That may be enough to finish it.  I have to wash and thwack the finished yarn but I am making progress now that I am over most of the infection and can stay awake! 

How is winter treating you?