Looking Forward to Another Day is Important to Us
Thursday, June 5th, 2008
Getting up each day without the prospect of having something to look forward to is a grim reality for many people. The ill or elderly at home, the imprisoned, the homeless, the poverty-stricken, or the depressed of the world all may have many, if not most, days when their hopes of interaction with people or activities are bleak. For these people, having something to look forward to would positively impact the quality of their lives.
Even young people in our world today describe times when they feel like they have no hope for the future. Nothing to look forward to. Nothing to brighten their days or the weeks and months to come. Depressed youth who are self-medicating with drugs (including alcohol) to minimize the feeling of hopelessness or to numb their emotions talk about having nothing exciting on the horizon. If they truly feel as though they have nothing to look forward to, they are at risk.
The disenfranchised of today have no dreams, and dreams are what make up our optimistic feelings for the future. Many people let it get the best of them and succumb to hopelessness. Others realize that no matter how far the downward spiral of despair goes, there is always reason to hope and begin an upward climb. There is always something to look forward to.
This realization is what gives people the spark of hope they need to keep going. Through the doubts and fears of day to day life and the challenges they must overcome to stay on an even keel, they cling to the hope that their circumstances will improve. The significance of this hope, even if it is just a glimmer or a ray, is what keeps them trying to make headway. It’s what keeps them trying to move forward, if just a step at a time. It is what distinguishes them from the hopeless.
What can we look forward to? For the believer, there is life after death. Sometimes that is enough to look forward to when all else in life seems to have failed. For others, it can be the next hot meal, the comfortable, warm place to sleep, or the visit or phone call from a loved one, friend, or neighbor. For the youth who has little hope for the future, it can be encouragement from a parent, a teacher, a pastor, or a friend. It can be an upward climb to a better education and success in the world. It can be getting a job, or getting a better job, or having a suitable career. For the seriously depressed, it can be as simple as a day when the sun shines brightly through the bedroom window.
Looking forward to another day is important to us. Not just to those who have serious problems in their lives, but to all of us. A fresh cup of coffee, a prayer, a warm shower, and a day free of stressful encounters are enough for some of us. A good grade, a well-written article, or a pat on the back will do for others. Looking forward to a way to help someone else on their journey through life is something many of us cherish. No matter how our lives are fulfilled, having something to look forward to each day is important for measuring how rewarding our lives are.