More on Hope

HOPE
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, this is the word that has been running through my head this past week in and around the mountains of snot (sorry), through the valleys of depression (from missing MN and loved ones) and scurrying past the avalanche of panic which is bound to head my way because I’ve got another large Festival to organize.
HOPE
It’s what Obama talked about this past fall. He had hope for change in America. But it seems (at least according to the latest gallop poll) that his plan and his popularity have plummeted. When I was home over Christmas, I asked a good friend to give me the “25 words or less” explanation about what happened to America’s love affair with Obama. He gave me a good detailed analysis from someone who lives there. My spouse says simply that America expected too much from him.
HOPE
It’s what I see in the eyes of my friends CH and ER who have become parents for the first time. They have such hope for their child. They don’t know about the awful parts of parenting yet (although they might think that lack of sleep in pretty darn awful right now). They don’t know about the highs of seeing your child succeed and the lows of wondering how in the hec a child of YOURS could do such a stupid (insert typical child behaviour here). thing They look at their newborn and see wonderful things in the simplest fact: she’s alive, she’s healthy, she’s eating and sleeping.
HOPE
It’s what my friends L and R had when they captured the neighborhood stray dog and brought him to the Friends Center (a haven for stray animals). Dogs are a rare site here in Kuwait, so when one happens by in the neighborhood, people take notice. Everyone in the neighborhood (regardless of their ability to speak English) knew about this dog and were concerned about it. While this little dude had a tail wag for all and was quite willing to approach you, unfortunately, the little pooch had also had a bad former owner who left a rope tied his neck. The rope was so tight it was merged into the arteries of his neck. When L and R took it to the Friends Center, they were afraid it might not make it through surgery or the follow up fight for infection. And, they were right,he didn’t make it. When I heard the news, I broke down and sobbed. Silly dog. Silly friends for trying to help the dog. But I know they helped me by showing me they had hope enough TO try.
HOPE
We had a student here who has CP. He walks to class, his friends carry his books and he’s got a smile for everyone. What would take you and I five minutes, takes him about 10 or more. And don’t even think about going up stairs easily. This is not a handicapped accessible country and every time he tries to get to a higher or lower level in a building, he takes a risk that he may fall down the stairs. Once I accompanied him for an afternoon at a conference, and he did fall down the stairs. But, he got up, dusted himself off and set about on his way. It’s amazing.
HOPE
When I get on my pity party about being so far away from home, and think about how sad I am, I hope I will remember these people (and pets) and gain some perspective from them.
Ironically, Nadine (Nada) means “hope” in Russian. Here’s hoping I live up to my name.