Finding Hope: How ‘One Day’ Can Change Everything

What does “one day” mean? Each time I navigate an emotional wave and sense myself engulfed by it, I remind myself, “One day,” you will emerge from it.

But will I truly?  Isn’t life like the ocean, with one wave after another? I genuinely don’t know. Growing up, I’ve come to understand that pain and suffering are mere mindsets; they will only prevail if I permit them. Their existence rests in my hands, yet I struggle to manage them. Despite possessing ample knowledge about inner peace and how to attain it, I wonder why I can’t. Why do my eyes still well up, or do my breath become irregular whenever I think of the mistreatment? Why do I permit other people’s words to burden my peace? Seriously, when will I learn? And then I reassure myself, “one day.”

The hope of that “one day” when everything will fall into place is the sole thread that has kept me tethered to the fabric of life. Otherwise, much like the ocean, I have no inkling which wave might have been my last. The gratitude for waking up each day and being alive never leaves my body, but the presence of misery persists. Does being happy necessitate abandoning every feeling? If so, do I genuinely desire happiness? I yearn to experience all the emotions life offers, yet simultaneously, I fear whether I can endure those feelings. I aspire to love deeply, yet the scars hold me back to safeguard myself. But seriously, who am I protecting if protection entails refraining from deep love? Why must the fear of getting hurt always intervene? Why is it so intricate, I ponder, and with a smile on my face, I affirm to myself, “One day” it will all make sense.

The sleepless nights, the panic attacks, the struggle to breathe when tears won’t cease, the fears confronted in love – it will all make sense “one day.”

So, as you read this now, there are likely aspects of your life that seem poised to pull you down with them. But remember, these struggles are temporary. I assure you, one day you will reflect and say, “Prayers echo for a day to recall, to look back and say, you faced it all.”

I hope at some juncture in life, you will extend the same kindness to yourself as you do to others, loving yourself as profoundly as you love others. I hope at some point, you will realize that if you were to erase all the past and all the misery, “you wouldn’t be you.” In the grand tapestry of life, every thread, even the dark and challenging ones, contributes to the beauty of the whole picture. Embrace the journey, for it is in facing adversity that we discover our true strength. 

So, let “one day” be a ray of hope, guiding you through the storms and reminding you that, indeed, you have the resilience to weather any wave. As you navigate the ebb and flow of life, may each day bring you closer to the realization that, in your own way, you are writing a story of courage, love, and victory.

-eika  ©