“The ‘digital highway’ is a street teeming with people who are often hurting, men and women looking for salvation or hope.” – Pope Francis
As I read that quote, I pondered its significance and the power of that word “hope.” When we see potential and possibilities, we are “hopeful.” If we believe that things will never improve, we feel “hopeless.” That is a hard place to camp.
The power of relationships to ignite and inspire hope is often taken for granted. It is in relationships where I find individuals most frequently feeling spent and deflated. The inability to find kindness and priority from one’s spouse leads to feelings of being in this journey alone. And in our loneliness we experience the greatest disconnection and hollowness.
I recently spoke with a young man who was immersed in preparing for his comprehensive exams needed to complete his academic college program. He spoke of the insurmountable nature of this task. Yet, as his partner supported and was present with him in his preparation, he found hope and confidence.
The question that we need to ask ourselves is – am I a place of hope for my spouse? By the very fact that I am in the trenches with him or her, is my spouse better? Does he or she believe that together we can overcome any obstacle that we may face? Or do they find the slightest stressor to be their undoing?
It is my desire to be a place of refuge, support, and hope for my spouse. I want her to be better because she is with me. This week I encourage you to find some word that you can communicate or action that you can embrace that will spark a new element of hope for your spouse. Rather than search the “digital highway” for hope, make it possible for them to look no further than you.