Day 80 - Hope

Day 80 - Hope

Professor X: "Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn't mean they're lost forever.  Sometimes, we all need a little help."

Charles Xavier: "I'm not the man I was."

Professor X: "You're afraid.  I remember."

Charles Xavier: "All those voices...so much pain."

Professor X: "It's not their pain you're afraid of.  It's yours, Charles.  And as frightening as it can be, that pain will make you stronger.  If you allow yourself to feel it, embrace it, it will make you more powerful than you ever imagined.  It's the greatest gift we have: to bear their pain without breaking.  And it comes from the most human part of us: hope.  Charles, we need you to hope again."

The excerpt above comes from a scene in the most recent X-Men film, X-Men: Days of Future Past.  In this scene, Professor X is able to communicate to his younger self, encouraging him to make a choice that greatly impacts the future of mankind.  If you haven't seen this one, it's a good one.  

But where do I want to go with this quote.  Well, I've been meaning to post this quote on my blog for quite sometime, and tonight it resonated well with an event I attended this evening that was put on by Wartburg's SAFE (Suicide Awareness For Everyone) organization.  Tonight, I witnessed three brave students open about their experiences facing depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, and a variety of other aspects in their lives that most people would consider elements of brokenness.  I'm incredibly proud of these students and I am reminded of what it means to hope.  

Hope is a powerful thing.  It can carry you through tough times, it can make something miserable bearable.  It can bring you peace.  In times of struggle and challenge, don't lose hope, for there might be a day when you look back on your life and you'll want to encourage yourself to keep pressing forward.  And when you feel like you're losing hope (a very dark place to be), do not hesitate to ask for help.  Even the world's finest need help once in awhile (Superman, Wonder Woman, & Batman).  

Be kind to one another, look out for each other, and never lose hope.  Always remember, you won't be "...lost forever."