There are threads of common union woven in the stories of the heroes I’ve met in my lifetime. Now, to be clear, my heroes are very rarely those with big names or big followings. Rather, the people who are heroes to me are the ones who see hope hidden like a jewel in a knarled landscape of pain and, with trembling legs, rush in to lift it high. They are the ones who find beauty in shattered things, the souls who hear a symphony when others simply hear noise.
My heroes are unassuming, fully aware of their own frailty even as they gracefully carry the burdens of others. They are, to a person, wise beyond their years. They are – to a person – in abject dependence on a God who is relentless in His love.
And every one of my heroes would confess that the journey they are on isn’t the journey they had so carefully dreamed.
Because the journey is never what we think it will be. We grab a pen and carefully chart our course, but life in motion is big and full and more complex than any map we could fill with dates and plans. The journey takes longer, with lessons to be learned and healing to be done, and the heart of who we are to grow. The road isn’t always a road – sometimes it’s little more than the subtle hint of a path that can only be seen when the light hits in just the right way.
Yes, my heroes are the unlikely ones, the ones who would never call attention to themselves for doing great deeds. They are the ones who simply say, “Here I am.”
They are the ones who remind me the journey is worth-full.
Today, I want you to close your eyes and listen to the words of Alison Luna. She’s one of my heroes, though in my mind’s eye I can see her now, frowning at the thought that anyone would consider her life one to watch and take note of. But in her poetry and prose, this 20-something warrior has taught me much about steadfast love and hope.
You see, she can’t help but hope. Even when the road snaps like a switchback, it’s there. It shines.
“Even when I don’t feel hopeful – hope still finds a way…”
Yes, Alison. It does. And today, your words will pour hope into those who are on the journey that isn’t what was carefully planned.
Alison Luna, born and raised deep in the heart of Texas, is learning what it means to press in to the places that hurt in order to fight for joy. She loves her last name and finds promises written in the stars. You can find Alison wrestling with the idea of hope at http://aluna13.wordpress.com and tweeting it out in real time at @luna1387.
I fell in love with Alison in a wonderful sisterhood called The Story Sessions. If you are a woman with words to share, I invite you to meet the founder, Elora Nicole, and learn more.