January 9

Imagine for a moment that hope is like a new, unfurnished room we step into with the intention to make our own over time. It's easy to think about hope as fleeting, but what if we imagine it as a room we have just moved into, giving ourselves time to decorate and get used to being there. It might not feel like "home" right away, but we are free to pace ourselves through the process of making more room for the things that make it feel like home.

As we take the time to fill the rooms of our lives with hope, just like cherished furnishings in a new home, let us be gentle with ourselves in the unfolding process. Feeling at home in hope involves giving ourselves time to decorate the walls and get used to being there. As we gradually adjust, there will be more to come, more room to grow and more joy to discover.

Look ahead with hope while still knowing that even if it takes time to slowly but surely fill the walls and surrounding space with things that help you feel hopeful, it’s okay. In the same way it takes time for the sun to rise in the sky, there are times when hope takes time to rise all the same. Give yourself permission to explore the idea of “hope” as a space. Give yourself time to explore meaningful experiences and connections. Let this place be what it needs to be.