~~I believe people of gentleness and faith can change the world one unseen, unsung, unrewarded kindness at a time.~~ Unknown
Sometimes listening to the story of our little victims of abuse can be so painful that it brings tears to my eyes. The courage it takes to tell their stories to perfect strangers is stunning. The atrocities inflicted on our children are completely horrifying. So I came here...my little slice of heaven!...to find my balance and bring peace to my heart.
It didn't happen this way, of course. Because sometimes life can be ugly, harsh, and cruel. And it can take your breath away with the pain of loss, the devastating effects of addiction. So in between the harshness of the world and the heartbreak of friends, darkness threatened.
But in that darkness, a light also shines. Because I believe in people. The goodness of people. I hope. I hope that cures are found and health can be restored. I have faith. I have faith that we can hold each other through our pain, that we can find comfort in the hearts of friends, that the world is still more good than bad.
There is purpose in each of us. There is a reason why we are here. And one kind word....one smile...one gentle hug...can change the course of someone's life. And everyone...absolutely everyone....deserves that chance to change the course of his/her life, especially when it comes to smoking. No one wakes up and thinks "I think I'll be an addict today". It is sneaky and evil and deceptive and eases in when our defenses are down and our thinking cloudy. The trap snaps closed and we find ourselves sucking in smoke like we need it to survive.
So when the world gets dark and the pain gets unbearable and I just don't want to go one step further, I stop. I grieve and I rant and I hurt and I rail against the injustice and the unfairness and the ugliness. But that light is there somewhere in my soul, keeping hope and faith and belief alive while I wallow in my darkness for a bit. When I grow tired, the light grows enough to warm my heart and allow me to rest.
Tomorrow is another day.
