Just as the moon shines light through the darkness so does hope. Sometimes the moon shines bright, other times it is difficult to find. Hope also shines bright at times and at other times one has to search for signs of hope. Although we don’t always see it, the moon is always there. So too, hope is always present.

During the dark, difficult times, finding hope can be a struggle. But hope is present for those who choose to have faith. I can remember times when hanging on to hope was difficult, but it has always paid off.

One spring, when the girls were almost two years old, I found myself very ill with a sinus infection. It was not the normal sinus infection that could be resolved with a few weeks of over-the-counter medicines and some extra sleep. It was something that after two weeks had intensified to the point of being difficult to function. It hit its peak over the weekend, which made it difficult to be seen by a doctor.

Without going into crazy detail, the solution I was given by the doctor on call was to go to the emergency room. I remember hanging up the phone thinking… I am not taking two, 2-year-old children to the emergency room when I can hardly function in my own home.

At that moment I thought about people who do not have inner strength, survival skills, and strong faith. I thought about the difference between giving up and relying on hope and faith. Hope gave me the strength to keep going. To get up, feed the kids, change them, and work through the illness. Hope of getting some relief when the doctor’s office opened on Monday. Faith to know that this too will pass.

Sometimes it is not just one moment of darkness. It might be an accumulation of dark moments that seem never-ending. Moments that challenge your ability to see hope through all the clouds. I continually remind myself that the moon is always there… and so too is hope.

This illness came at a time when the moon was faintly shining through all the darkness. It was a challenge to find hope. A challenge to remain confident that my faith would carry us through this time.

I did persevere through that dark period which led me to yet another major life transition. I had no idea at the time, but this dark period pushed me into making that major life transition. I don’t believe I would have made the change if I had not faced the darkness. It was my faith that allowed me to hang on to hope through this period of darkness.

For me, periods of darkness have always been a warning signal to a future transition. I hang on to hope when the moonlight is dim and give thanks when it illuminates the sky. I rely on my faith and I take comfort in hope.

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