Hope
Hope has always been a really special word for me. I have been through some fairly dark times in my life and there was definitely a time when I didn't have any hope, saw no future for myself and didn't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Desmond Tutu once said, "hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness". Finding that hope is always to key to being able to keep hanging in there despite the darkness.
This photo reminds me of hope. Even though I was standing in total darkness, in the distance there was a light, lighting the path ahead. This is what hope is, finding the light and grasping onto it with everything we have, even when it is just a tiny pinprick of light. Martin Luther King jr said, "only in the darkness can you see the stars". For me, the stars I saw within the darkest moments of my life were my family, photography, and my faith in God. Find what it is that keeps you going in your darkness and embrace it, because it will be what leads you out of the darkness.
When I had started to see a little light, I wanted to get something to remind me to hang on. I went and got a hope tattoo. I look at it every day and it reminds me not only of how hard it has been, but also how far I have come. Now I know tattoos aren't for everyone (I can hear my Mum telling me that when I am in the nursing home the tattoo will be all wrinkly), so I am not saying get a tattoo. I am saying get something tangible to look at that reminds you that there is hope and you will get through your dark period. Jeremiah 29 v 11 became my other tangible thing to look at. A reminder written in the bible, that the plans he has for me are for a future and a hope.
Don't isolate yourself from your friends and family. We need the people that we love to speak life into us when we are drowning in darkness. When I say this, I am talking about healthy relationships, ones that bring life and hope don't destroy us. Building walls and keeping it all to yourself magnifies the darkness. Our thoughts can be a horrible place to be and trapping yourself in them is not healthy. When I was going through the hard times, I isolated myself to protect myself - at least, that's what I told myself. Really, I was ashamed of how bad I was feeling and I was terrified to let anyone in. Let people you trust speak wisdom and life over your situation. Let them pray with you and don't hide your pain.
Get some help. If you are reading this and you have lost all hope, talk to your GP or a counsellor. Talk to a friend or a Pastor. Let someone know what is going on so that they can help you. There are many ways to help you see the hope for your future, don't let pride, despair, or fear stop your from reaching out.