What is Hope?

My purpose in publishing this blog, "Reaching Anyway," is to, hopefully, assist others through their challenges and through their trials. Let's face it, trials and problems come to everyone of us throughout our lives in one form or another. Some may seem, or may be, more severe than others. One of my own great challenges, for those that know me, is physical in nature. I am unable to walk because I have quadriplegic cerebral palsy. This is easily seen by everyone or, I should say, the effects of cerebral palsy are seen by everyone. Because of this, most people whom I encounter try to be, at the very least, understanding. But most of us, that is to say, most people do not struggle with something so obvious and so apparent. I would venture to say the vast majority of problems that people face are unseen by others. Perhaps it may be that your parents have divorced. Perhaps it may be that you grew up in a less than ideal home. Perhaps it may be academic in nature, that is to say you always struggled in school due to a range of factors that were almost completely or were completely out of your control. Perhaps it may be that you lost a parent or a spouse to death. There are countless other challenges that people face everyday. I have listed only a few. Those challenges are there for a reason. I have no doubt because they help us to grow and to understand who we are. At times it may seem that something that is happening to us is unfair. We may ask, "Why me? Why did this have to happen to me?" I myself have wondered this many times in my life about my own challenges. Why do I have what is commonly referred to as a physical disability? Why do people who do not know me have to look at me with strange, uncomfortable looks on their faces or talk to me as if I was four when I was ten, fifteen, and currently 20? My answer: I have learned that my so called, "disability" is in fact a blessing given to me by God to try and help other people. Now, am I always perfect in remembering that? No, my family could tell you that right off the bat. So, in summary, my hope with this blog is to show you how I have learned to use my "disability" as an ability. I will identify four principles I try to operate by to help people, even with my limitations. I hope you join me in this journey together.
Jacob Everett Head