HOPE

I recently spent a weekend in Philadelphia, and on my trip home I realized that there has been a common theme in my life lately - hope. It seems that things are happening all around me that have reinforced this theme. Although these things are personal to me, I hope that my readers will be able to read and understand my point of view.
Beginning with Easter and the Resurrection of our Savior, who has given us hope of eternal life by His redeeming sacrifice. Even non-Christians share the celebration of this day and it's underlying theme of hope for our world. Then as if to reinforce the celebration of hope on that day, my second grandchild came into the world, little Sophie. Children are part of the circle of life, God's way of saying that the world will go on, and we as parents/grandparents strive to make the world better for them, hoping for a brighter future.
Next was the news of Pope John Paul II's beatification, one of the steps towards sainthood. He was truly a model of holiness in our own lifetime that gives us all hope for living spiritual lives where we can find peace, happiness and meaning. Ironically, on the heels of that news was the news of Bin Laden and the end of a quest to rid the world of another tyrant who threatens our highly valued freedom. The voices of those who were singing the National Anthem or saying the Pledge of Allegiance were unmistakably full of pride and hope for a peaceful world.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to visit the Perlman Proton Center where cancer patients are treated with proton radiation therapy. Honestly, I went there full of trepidation, expecting to find patients desperate and silent and medical staff solemn. What I saw instead were patients interacting and willingly sharing their stories, medical staff that was positive, friendly and encouraging. As I saw them interact, and they drew me into the circle of care, what I saw on the faces of each person was the same - hope.
What is the world without hope? And what is it like to feel hopeless?
My deepest desire as a future OT is to bring hope to those who need my help, in whatever way I can. I've come to realize in my fieldwork, that even the smallest things we do can give someone hope. The tone of our voice, the simple words we say, the look on our face, all have the potential to give a patient hope. And when you meet the paralyzed patient who looks into your eyes and can't say a word, you somehow know what they need the most - hope to make their life worth living again.
As I go into my exams this week, I am filled with hope for my own future and look forward to spreading this hope to others with whom I interact in the future. One of my favorite quotes -
"What oxygen is to the lungs, so is hope to the meaning of life." Emil Brunner
Fantastic article and pictures of Pope John Paul II's beatification: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Roman-Catholic-Church-Set-to-Beatify-Pope-John-Paul-II-120902619.html