Hope can come from the weirdest places.
A Facebook memory popped up today from exactly three years ago. That day I was dealing with the winter blues. The grayness and gloom and the whole no sun thing was really getting to me. COVID was still very much in our lives.
2020 saw Gary in the hospital for prostate removal followed by hip replacement surgery. Money was tight with him not working and I was worried and tired. You get the picture. And 2021 didn’t look like it was shaping up to be a good year.
That morning I walked out of the YMCA after a much needed session in the pool and I saw a man walking by and I told him hi. We were both masked. The conversation went like this.
Him: How you doing?
Me: I’m fine!
Him: You sure are fine. You got some pep in your step and I can see that smile behind that mask. You are fine, I am fine, and we are all gonna get through this together as long as we know this ain’t lasting forever. You have a blessed day.
And off he went and he had some serious pep in his step.
Since that day Gary has two new knees, his cataract surgery went great, he is officially retired and yet the bills are getting paid, I released book one in the Wag Away Tales series, and book number two is set to be out on May 1. There have been many downs but also enough ups to get me through the hard parts of life.
Today I needed to remember his message of hope. I need to smile, get some pep in my step, and know that we will get through everything because nothing bad lasts forever.