Wit And Wisdom: Is There Any Hope For Me?

It’s one of the most common questions I’m asked during the first session of therapy.

Whether it’s the couple who’s on the verge of divorce, or the individual who suffers from severe bipolar disorder, or the one who’s lived a life in addictions, or the person who’s trying to find their path out of the ramifications of a chaotic childhood, they all want to know the same thing.

Most of them feel doomed; some of them from as far back as they can remember. They believe they’re fatally flawed—unredeemable.

To be in a place of such hopelessness fatigues resolve and frays the fabric of souls. It’s a dark, dark place.

The cry of, “Is there any hope for me?” is the last gasp of the drowning man before he goes under for the third time.

That’s when I am glad they’ve come to see me because I’m the eternal optimist. I always think things can work out, even though there’ve been times I’ve been disappointed in outcomes. Still, I maintain my optimistic outlook. And here’s why:

There are two things that cannot be quantified or measured. One is the power of the human spirit and the other is the power of God. When those two things work in conjunction with each other I’ve seen things accomplished that I never dreamed possible.

So, is there hope for you? Absolutely!

Do not, I repeat, do not give up.

* Taken from The Wit and Wisdom of David Johnson, Volume III: A Harrowing Halloween Tale