A Message of Hope
By Kate Everson
Smashwords edition
Copyright 2011 Kate Everson
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Robena could hear the desperation in her friend’s voice.
“I don’t know what to do, Robena,” she said. “I feel like I have lost all hope.”
These words hit home with Robena who had recently felt the same way after the loss of a close family member. She knew what it was like to be depressed and feel like there was no way out.
“Luxana, you can’t give up,” she said, hoping her own voice did not sound desperate. “You have to keep going. Think of all the things you have in your life. Be happy.”
At that last word, Robena almost choked. She knew how unreal that would sound to her friend who was grieving. Who could be happy now? And why would she want to be?
Luxana had not lost a friend to death but to desertion. Her life partner had decided he wanted to leave her, abandon all their hopes and dreams, and start a life without her.
This was incomprehensible to Luxana who had always seen the best of everyone, especially her nearest and dearest Rob, the one she had spent so many years with. Was that all gone now? And what on earth would she do now? She felt betrayed, abandoned and lost.
“Help me, Robena,” she cried. “I can’t go on alone.”
Robena just said, “You must.”
And she went over to Luxana’s house and comforted her with hugs and hot tea. But she knew that was not enough. Her friend needed more than a bandage on this wound. The cut was right to the heart.
“Let me take you on a journey,” Robena said, and held out her hand to her friend. Although Luxana was reluctant at first, she eventually agreed.
They walked out the door into a misty morning, overcast and gloomy like Luxana’s mood. But Robena held her hand tightly and knew there were better days ahead. She knew. She had been there.
What Robena knew was not a very complicated thing. It had no deep philosophies or even words to describe it. The inner knowing came from a direct acceptance of Light that was always there.
She took Luxana to the river and they sat down and looked into the water. They could barely see their reflection, and Robena knew she had to start slowly. Big hurt does not heal instantly.
“I love you,” Robena smiled and hugged her friend. “I just want you to know that.”
A small smile came on Luxana’s grim face, then went away. “I know,” she whispered. “Thank you for that.”
They sat quietly and just watched the water. There were ripples on the surface, as the wind tossed up some waves after the storm. They looked deeply into the water and could see light mixed with the darkness.
As they watched the water, Luxana began to feel a small ease of her heart. She started to relax ever so slightly. The soft lapping of the waves spoke to her inner being, soothing her, rocking her like a baby in its arms.
“I could fall right in and never want to come up,” Luxana said sadly.
“I know,” Robena whispered. “I know.”
And they sat there for a long time, just feeling the waves.
Gradually, the sun started to get higher, and there were some puffy white clouds forming in the blue sky. It felt good to see the sunshine. The clouds reflected in the water, all jagged in the translation, but clouds in their own way.
“Clouds,” Luxana murmured. “Which ones are real? The ones in the sky or in the water?”
Robena nodded. She knew exactly what her friend meant. Sometimes the real gets all mixed up with the illusion. Which one do you believe?
“They’re both real, Luxana,” she said. “And at the same time, they’re both illusion.”
She knew this was a hard point to get, but an important one, especially right now. She had to try to reach Luxana at a place where she could be reached. It had to start with a hardened heart and work from the inside out.
They sat and watched as the sky got brighter and the clouds danced in the water. Robena knew her friend was on the edge and she had to step in now.
“Luxana, be the clouds. Just imagine you are them right now.”
She knew she had to get Luxana out of her sad place. It would not be easy.
“ I can’t,” Luxana said.
“Yes, you have to,” Robena insisted. “I will go there with you. Take my hand.”
She held tightly to her friend’s hand and they stared into the water at the white clouds. She felt Roxana’s hand tighten and she knew this would be a rough ride.
“We are the clouds,” she said softly. “We are the clouds in the water right now. That’s all we are. We are not our selves any more. We are only the clouds.”
She spoke clearly but gently, taking them both on a journey to another place. This was a land of beauty, of peace, of gentleness. Of hope.
“Follow your heart through the sky,” Robena went on. “Feel like you are nothing but lightness. You have left this world behind and are only light. Feel the breeze push you higher and higher into the blue sky. You can feel the sunshine getting brighter and brighter, warming your whole body. Feel the warmth in every part of you. Feel the light. You are one with the Light.”
Robena’s voice carried her friend to another place, where there was only peace. It was a way to escape, and to know there are other options than despair.
It helped. When Robena guided them back to themselves, their own bodies sitting by the river, there was a definite lightness in the air. The vibration had risen, even if just by a small measure, and it was a start.
Then she took Luxana’s hand and they walked through the grass. She pointed out every small thing to her, to get her out of her sad thoughts and see the beauty around her. It was important. She had to know that was not all there was.
“Look at the birds,” Robena smiled, waving her hand at the homing pigeons circling their house in the light. As they moved in unison, their wings reflected the sunlight. One bird was all white and it gleamed like the snow. As they circled, the light made shadows and light on their frail bodies. Shadows and light. Always flying. Always coming home. It was a message of hope.
“Luxana, you are the light,” Robena smiled. “You sometimes reflect the shadows, but you also reflect the sunshine. Never forget that there are both sides to everything.”
Luxana smiled a little but kept her head low.
Robena tried again. There were two butterflies fluttering over the late summer flowers. One was yellow and the other white. They each chose a flower and sat there for a minute, their tiny wings soflty holding them aloft.
Robena stopped. “Look, Luxana. Look at them. Can you imagine being them? Let’s try! Which one will you be?’
Luxana said, “I would be white.”
“Great!” smiled Robena. “You are the white butterfly and I am the yellow one. Right now that’s all we are. Just resting on the flowers. Just resting. We are butterflies… ”
And Robena took her on another journey. She made her feel like there was nothing else to do but go from flower to flower on this sunny day. Gather nectar. Flutter around. Feel the peace. Robena’s voice kept control of her friend’s mood, making sure she was taking it all in and not falling back into despair. Gently, she wove a tale of love and butterflies into Luxana’s heart.
Then she took Luxana’s hand again and they walked some more. She could feel her friend getting a little lighter. It would not happen overnight. But it was a start. Where there is light, there is hope.
“Call me,” she told her friend. “Call me any time, day or night and I will be there for you. I care about you. I want you to be well.
“Life is all around you,” Robena went on. “Live every day. See every blossom. Love every cloud that passes your way, be it dark or light. It’s all good. Never give up.”
And Luxana smiled for the first time with her heart. She had help. She had hope.
* * The End * *
Read more about Robena on her life journey in A Message of Faith.