Day 20: Hope

Hope may be the most beautiful word and the most beautiful idea I can imagine. There are others-- grace and love--  that belong with hope. On my journey, though, I have found that it is hope that moves me forward. Hope allowed me to treasure my days with Julia. Hope inspired me to want to have a baby after having and losing Julia. Hope allows me to find courage in suffering and joy in each day. 

Where does hope come from, we might ask. I think hope can come from many places. It can certainly arise from faith and from love. It can come from a friend or a mentor. It can come from children. It can come from learning of the triumph of others in the face of adversity. It can come from watching a sunrise or sunset or gazing out at the expanse of the ocean or the night sky. Hope comes when we are able to think outside of ourselves or outside of our circumstance and focus, even for a brief time, on the wonder of the world (nature, people, and God) around us. 

This post is part of Carly Marie's Capture Your Grief Photography Challenge in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. To learn more please visit http://carlymarieprojectheal.com.