There is always hope

Recently, I’ve been supporting a very close family member through a particularly messy relationship breakdown, and it has been utterly heart-breaking to see someone who was once so happy and full of life, appear broken and doubtful - and at the hands of someone who has tried to destroy her.

The thing is, feeling so protective over this person (who I cherish so much), has left me feeling quite useless in many ways, because I can’t go through it for her - I can’t take it all away.

Not to be patronised at all, this person is a strong and driven young woman who will dust herself off and only become stronger and even more driven, but it doesn’t stop the difficult times having to be played out.

Thankfully, there has been a few of us on hand to offer help in different ways, and so whilst it is not, and never would be, regarded as some kind of 'burden' (helping is just something that one does), the support network has meant that a safety net is there, and that we will all get through this tough time together.

So, why am I telling this to the world?

Well, I think it’s quite fitting that the timing of the axe falling on this relationship coincides with the approaching end of the year (a year that has been such a wild ride) and I think that this is something to be embraced, whatever situation one is facing.

Whether 2012 has been all good, all bad or a mix of the two, the festive season shut-down offers us all a chance to be still and to reflect on the year’s events.

The time that we share with those most special to us allows us time to focus on the present moment, whether we are eating a turkey together or snuggling down to watch a film. These acts also help us to appreciate what we have, and the three things in life that truly matter: food, shelter and love.

Following this, there is also time to be hopeful, as we look to the future and the new year.

All of these actions play a part in helping us to move-on, for we all need to be able to take stock of what has happened, to adjust to the reality of now, and then be able to look to the future.

So, as November draws to a close and December begins, I look forward to this special time of year, when we can all try to digest the ups and downs, and move forward into a new year, with nothing but hope our hearts.

And with that I want to leave with a quote from Albert Einstein:

‘Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.’