Nuture Hope

A few years ago a friend of mine gave me this small stone
plaque, an office-warming gift after I took the position at United Way.
Engraved in the stone are the “ABCs of Life,” quotes of sorts meant to remind
me to “Accept differences”… “Be kind” … “Count my blessings” … and so
on. Years later the plaque still sits on my shelf and each day, for
whatever reason, I look up and read something different. Today it was
‘Nurture Hope’.

I spent the last few weeks painting a mural for the Women’s
Shelter at REACH. I’ve never been homeless. That’s not to say that
I couldn’t have been, just that I haven’t. I have been alone, scared and
worried about my future. I’ve been at a place in my life where I needed
someone else’s strength to get me through. I’m grateful for each
person who got me here. I can say that nothing in the last year has
inspired me more than simply standing there at that wall painting that
picture. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because of my own story;
maybe it’s because I know the faces of some of the women who will be looking up at that picture each morning.

The picture is nothing fancy, just a painting that captures
everything I want to say to those staying at the shelter this winter. In
the picture there’s a flowered path finding its way through a grouping of
trees. You can’t tell if its sunrise or sunset, but you see that the path
comes from two different places, connecting only in the middle toward the
sunlight. While I hope each woman sees something different, there is
something I hope everyone sees, something I didn’t know how to paint into the picture. Hope.

I have needed in my life - the specifics of which are for
another conversation, another blog. Still, I’ve been at a place in my
life where I’ve had to rely on the kindness of others. I’m thankful they
were kind. What I know from that time in my life is that no matter where
you come from, there is a purpose to the journey. We must never
forget that life experiences are just that, experience. Nothing
defines who we can become. As long as there are paths to take, a past to
leave behind, and a future to look forward to …there will be hope, and those of
us who will be here to nurture it.

-Leah Gayman, Executive Director