Hope for the Holidays: Carrying More Than Cheer

It’s November already! Time to turn the clocks back. I cringe at the long, dark days ahead. On top of that, lately I feel little hope for the approaching holidays, let alone the months following the new year.

Too much has happened. Life has tipped my world deep into a valley barren of hope. I hesitate to write this because publicly complaining is unlike me. But the time is before me…

My husband and I moved to Florida to stay. We’ve lived here before but decided to make it permanent this time — or so I thought.

Without going into details, health issues spiraled downward. Suddenly, I feel like I’m carrying the world on my shoulders. Honestly, I don’t like it. The weight hurts. I am now the sole operator of the household.

So here I am, sitting on my bed with my laptop and my dog, Lucy, sipping morning coffee, anticipating the desperately needed caffeine surge.

My dog needs her pain pills and antibiotics. She underwent enucleation (eye removal) due to painful glaucoma and now may require revision surgery.

So, once the caffeine kicks in and induces its bodily harm, I start moving. (Thank you, coffee, I think).

I cook breakfast for us first, pasture-raised eggs with uncured bacon. We all eat together. My husband and I gather at the kitchen table. Lucy gets her home-cooked chicken, egg, and rice on the floor next to my chair. I mostly hand-feed her as she has trouble adapting to the loss of her right eye.

After that, I’ll climb into my walking attire, if I have enough energy left over.

Because…

Lately, sleep eludes me. My eyes flip open like a popped top off a Coke bottle at 2 a.m. I usually don’t fall back asleep until around 4. Again, waking up around 7 a.m. as if someone poked me with a stick.

But during my walk, my thoughts even out. I begin to hope — a gift we’re all born with, though I never recognized it as one until I needed it. I’ve used it many times, maybe abused it. (Is there such a thing as a hope hope-aholic?)

It’s funny how clarity presents itself after 2000 steps. That’s when I remembered The Ten Gifts, a book I read years ago by Robin Silverman.

I feel a spark of energy running through my veins as I rummage through my bookshelves. “Where’s my damed book? I can’t find my book,” almost in a panic, you know! Getting a little sassy here! We’ve moved so many times that I may have donated it to Goodwill.

So I enlisted Copilot’s help. And here it is:

📘 The Ten Gifts by Robin L. Silverman
• Published: Early 2000s
• Genre: Self-help / Inspirational
• Premise: After surviving the devastating Red River flood in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Silverman reflects on the inner resources that helped her and others rebuild their lives. She identifies 10 “gifts” that are innate to all of us — tools for resilience, healing, and peace.

The Ten Gifts (as described by Silverman):

• Faith
• Love
• Dreams
• Courage
• Unity
• Joy
• Trust
• Character
• Thanks
• Intention

Beautiful words. But I still wanted hope.

Reading through those ten gifts brought up something I wrote earlier this year — it reminded me how easy it is to forget the deeper truths about who we are and why we’re here, something I also explored in this post about spirit and purpose: What Happens When We Lose Our Spirit?

I was disappointed that the word ‘hope’ was missing from the list. I would have added it, bolded in size 20 font. That’s how important it is to me. But maybe ‘dreams’ and ‘trust’ cover hope. Compelling words indeed.

But hope doesn’t always live in the now. Sometimes it’s saved for later, so I don’t abandon hope for the future. I step out of the present when it feels like a storm. I acknowledge it, yes. But I’m not going to sit and wait for the flood. I get my mind out of it, expand beyond that moment, and look to the future from that perspective.

We’ve all heard it, read it, and tried it: Be present. Live in the moment. Ahhh, yes! You have, haven’t you?

But you know what? We can’t hear you way up there because we’re still down here, walking through the valley.

So, this holiday season, I will enjoy simple.

I will enjoy breathing in the crisp fall air and the sensation of soft evening breeze on my face as I walk.

I will enjoy the aroma of roasted turkey and freshly baked pumpkin pie as it fills the air.

I will enjoy the grand, sprawling oaks and the golden-orange leaves dancing in the wind, luring me: Come on, Cindy, just a few more steps.

I will enjoy the spirit of the season and the glow of the Christmas tree lights as I pass by my neighbors’ windows at night. I’m afraid I’m a bit of a peeping Tom.

And lastly, I may pour a bold red vintage into my tallest bubble glass — not for the tannins but for the therapy.

And yes, I will be at peace through hope for the future. That is my now!

✨ Hang it where you’ll see it often — Daily words to lift your spirit…

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P.S. If you’re in the mood for more inspiration, in my search for the book, I ran across SoulfulLiving.com, a beautiful space to explore.

After I posted this, I was still rummaging for my book. I found it! I feel intact now 🙂 !