When Hope Grows Quietly

When the world feels heavy, it’s often the smallest things that bring me back to myself.

When my mother-in-law passed away, I really struggled and a simple gift of a rose from a colleague meant so much. I still have that rose, and even now, thinking about it makes me smile. That colleague later left the business, and though we stayed in touch for a bit, life took us down different paths. I might message her tomorrow, just to say hi.

We also have a plant, ‘Spike’ who wasn’t looking good for a long time. I was determined not to give up on him, so we planted him in the ground. For months, he looked sad and lifeless, and then last week my husband said, “Look!” and there it was: one new green shoot.

Lying here trying to drift back to sleep, those two small things made me smile. Maybe it’s hope, maybe it’s life quietly reminding me not to give up. If sharing this small, random thought helps even one person feel a little lighter, then that’s enough that’s making a difference, in my own small way.