"Borrowed....."

I had a workshop today in the World Burn Congress that I'm attending this year, which I'll write all about when it's over and I'm home.  But I wanted to share this particular piece with you because it touched on a blog post I wrote earlier, about I'm the one who's going to have to do the most work to get out of my deep dark depression, but I also need help, a hand to grab onto mine firmly and not let go.  This is a poem kind of about that, written by Eloise Cole.

Borrowed Hope

Lend me your hope for awhile, I seem to have mislaid mine.

Lost and hopeless feelings accompany me daily.

Pain and confusion are my companions.

I know not where to turn.

Looking ahead to future times

Does not bring forth images of renewed hope.

I see mirthless times, pain filled days

and more tragedy.

Hold my hand and hug me.

Listen to all my ramblings.

I need to unleash the pain and let it tumble out.

Recovery seems so far distant.

The road to healing a long and lonely one.

Stand by me.  Offer your presence.

Your ears and your love.

Acknowledge my pain, it is so real and ever present.

I am overwhelmed with sad and conflicting thoughts.

Lend me your hope for awhile.  A time will come

When I will heal, and I will lend my renewed hope to others.

I think that's such a beautiful poem and a very interesting idea, to "borrow hope" from someone whether it's a loved one or a friend.  Sometimes we just don't have it and we need that help, that firm hand grip that I talked about earlier and so thus we "borrow" it from you, whatever "it" may be.  "It" could be something other than hope.  It could be strength or courage.  I think I borrow a lot of different characteristics from my friends.  From Jen and Clay I often borrow faith.  From my best friend Corrie and her husband Michael I look to them to borrow that hope.  From my dear friend Jessa, I borrow courage.  From my other dear friends Jamie and her husband Sam, I borrow smiles and laughter and from Steph, I borrow strength.  And from Mikey aka Madd Skillz, I borrow belief in a future.  My family is a whole different grab bag of borrowed attributes but these are just a few examples from a the handful of real dear friends that I have of what I borrow from them and I am so grateful that they let me borrow those attributes that they themselves present so strongly in their own characters.  There are other friends and other things that I borrow but those are my main ones right now.  And I thank you all, not just those I mentioned but all of you who may not even know that I borrow something from you.  You all give something of yourself to me and I borrow it right now to help get me through this rough time and through this journey.  Thank you everyone.  You have truly blessed me.