Hope

WIKIPEDIA STATES that ‘Hope is the desire of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one’s life or in the world at large.’.  G.K.Chestetson said ‘Hope means expectancy when otherwise things are hopeless.’  But I think I learned the most about hope from my late sister in law Helen.

It’s one year ago this Friday that we said good bye to Helen (my sister in law who lost her battle with Ovarian cancer)and still sometimes it feels like a fresh wound.  I look at pictures of a smiling Helen and tears well up in my eyes.  The tears fall as I think of how much she is missed and then I can’t help but smile remembering how she touched lives with how she lived hers.  I remember her sense of humor, her positive attitude, her graciousness, her warmth, her faith and her hope.  Hope in what? Throughout her sickness, her battle, throughout her treatments and hardship, when all seemed hopeless her smiling eyes had HOPE.  I think it’s because she knew things.  She knew she had lived her life well with a good attitude and a thankful heart.  She knew that for whatever reason she had this cancer her life had fulfilled a greater purpose, she knew that even though she’d be missed, those she left behind would be okay, sad, but okay.  She knew she had a family that loved her, a supportive and loving husband and that together they had raised a bunch of amazing kids.  And I think those calm hopeful eyes were focused on heaven.  She knew she had a heavenly father waiting for her and when her time here on earth was finished she would rejoice and experience unbelievable peace.  I want my smiling eyes to reflect that kind of peace and hope, with the knowledge that I have lived a good full life and death is only the beginning of eternity. 

Early this past Sunday morning my eldest daughter and I hit the road bound for Kamloops.  Our destination was the Kamloops annual Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope.  Sure, there was a local walk we could have attended but we wanted to be with Helen’s husband Jesse and their four kids and other family members & friends as we walked together remembering Helen as team Helen’s Hope.

But there are others we remembered too…mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, aunts, women, men, fathers, sons, uncles, husbands and families or anyone really, affected by cancer.  Live well, have hope!