Life and Love and Hope

I ran out to CVS one night a few weeks ago and wandered through the card section on my way out the door. Hundreds of Valentine's cards...

I stopped by the "Thinking of You" section. I like to send fun "I Miss You!" cards to my friends who live far away and so I glanced through a few of them. And then I saw one...

"I miss you, but I'm being brave," the cover read.

I opened it and smiled. It said: Sobbing. But otherwise, brave.

Feeling like an utter sap, I suddenly wanted desperately to buy this card. It was not the sort I'd send to a pen-pal or girlfriend. It was one I wanted to send my man. I wanted to buy it and tuck it away for "one day, someday." I stared at it wistfully, then put it back.

Does it surprise you that this romantic sap went back and bought that card?

Since buying it, I've fingered and smiled fondly at it and thought about it. And with that, it suddenly occurred to me. Just because it hurts at times, just because I'm lonely at times, cry at times, it doesn't mean I can't be brave, it doesn't mean I'm not brave.

Scoff if you will, but being single sometimes takes bravery. It takes bravery to hope, even without knowing that something will come to pass. It is far easier to give into fear and apathy and think, "Well, why hope? It will never happen."

And so it is, that I hope.

Sobbing, but still brave.

Because God is a God of love and there are happily ever afters.

- written February 2008