{"id":1485,"date":"2021-07-25T08:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-07-25T12:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/?p=1485"},"modified":"2021-07-25T09:24:38","modified_gmt":"2021-07-25T13:24:38","slug":"edition-14-love-mending-hope-as-we-share-a-different-yet-communal-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-14-love-mending-hope-as-we-share-a-different-yet-communal-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Edition #14 <br> LOVE MENDING HOPE &#8211; As We Share A Different, Yet Communal, Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1485\" class=\"elementor elementor-1485\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-53ccd2d3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"53ccd2d3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-39193a53\" data-id=\"39193a53\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-153c4b11 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"153c4b11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/journal_3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1515\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72be17da elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"72be17da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5672cad0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5672cad0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Edition #14 <br> LOVE MENDING HOPE &#8211; As We Share A Different, Yet Communal, Journey<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46637879 elementor-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"46637879\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-8d55559 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>25\/07\/2021<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b28cd4f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4b28cd4f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>My dear and precious friends,\u00a0<\/p><p>I hope you are all doing great, that you are all able to embrace the daily joys slowly coming back our way now that what felt like a never-ending nightmare has begun to lightly dispel its distressing blur. Even though the reminiscence of such a collective bad dream might not be totally over just yet, at least it feels wonderfully good to welcome the first lights of what seems to be a new morning view. It is still a distant cheerful glare, but it evokes vibrant sensations within me, as if the only vision of such vivid luminosity and bright colors was able to remind me of the rejuvenating nature of the hopeful promises that come with every dawn emerging from the deep darknesses we all had to face the implacable reality of at some point or another over the last 18 months.<\/p><p>And if I know that no matter how bright outside may become with time passing by, there would be no blaze uplifting enough to heal the brokenness of our losses. It\u2019s not always that easy to see the nuances that flow between faithlessness and abandonment, desperation and letting go. Life is as complex as the fabric of our happiness and grief. Existence seems to reflect more and more paradoxes as we keep on losing pieces of our innocence, leaving us with too many questions to even bother and try to understand after a while. Reality has more to do with how we feel than the explanation we might need to figure our everlasting \u201cwhy\u201d somehow\u2026 Maybe that\u2019s the reason why we tend to move from a place to another without being able to evolve, even though there\u2019s a comforting dimension coming with any change of scenery, illusionary or not. It takes courage to move, even a step or two\u2026\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d6eae5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2d6eae5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/journal_1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1492\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78560af8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"78560af8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><br \/>The last year and a half has been quite troubling for me. My constant struggles with a persistent illness that left me without the energy to do much &#8211; if anything &#8211; over an extended period of time was quite challenging. But what troubled me the most was not being able to physically stand by the friends who had to deal with the unbearable and horrifying pain that comes with loved ones\u2019 departure. A few weeks ago, I heard the devastating news that the wife of a dear brother of mine had too much of a burden to keep on going. I was so emotionally ravaged that I kind of shut everything and everyone down, especially as I wrote about her in my upcoming book, explaining how utterly significant of a moment we had shared as a family when she offered me the \u201cNOW\u201d tattoo that I brace on my right wrist. It took me some time to open up again. I canceled the writing and recording I had scheduled, pushed everything back. And if I used to roll down with whatever punch was coming in my direction, this time, I didn\u2019t want to fake it through, to pretend it was alright. I needed to face whatever feelings it created rather than run away from them.<\/p><p>It\u2019s looking into that strange form of twisted emotions, chaotic and tangled, paralyzing me every time I dared dwell into them that I came up with the conclusion that only honest love has the ability to mend our hope for better days. That only the admission that I am fragile and so easily broken can offer freedom, even when the profound sentiment of powerlessness and helplessness seems impossible to escape from. It might not always feel like the pure affective emancipation we look for, but acceptance creates the driving force we need in order to move forward, as much as newfound peace gives us the strength to take another chance to share, to commune the rebirth of uplifting vibrations we believed were all but forever gone when we started to drift away from the light we used to follow\u2026 Until we can reach whatever it is we call home.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ce3175 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2ce3175\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_5234-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1480\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_5234-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_5234-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_5234-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_5234-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_5234-e1627140699620.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-777e17c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"777e17c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><br \/>If I was able to find any comfort in \u201cLove Mending Hope\u201d, it\u2019s because I know how gracefully overflowing it can be to open up, if only a little, when our burden seems too heavy to carry around. Words are only words until we embrace the promises they bring with them. They inspire benevolence for some to give, compassion for others to offer, and, maybe, that\u2019s the new vivid morning I\u2019ve vaguely witnessed from afar, arising with heartfelt consolation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c3912d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4c3912d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/journal_2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1502\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46f3100c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"46f3100c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rest in peace, dear and precious Nong. Thank you for the generosity of your heart. You will forever be with us, with me, as a bright light reminding me that time is not only a \u201cnow\u201d we can perceive, but an evolving motion towards a future we can define and redefine, no matter how fearful of the darkness we are, even when lost and alone\u2026 Let\u2019s take a chance to embrace the light, as soft and vulnerable it may look like, so we can all become part of an unwearying blaze so bright that others, no matter who they are, can feel welcome to join such a mending gleam shining over our different, yet communal, journey.<\/p><p>Your friend,<br \/>Alex<\/p><p>PS: I wrote that journal entry before the devastating floods occurred in Germany and Belgium. My heart accompanies you, your family, and your friends as you are facing such a terrible event. More than ever, resilience, support, comfort, and love are needed as we face what is too often way too big for us to handle on our own\u2026<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-267f3567 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"267f3567\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a12c1c4\" data-id=\"7a12c1c4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38f42775 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"38f42775\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5ad31a7e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5ad31a7e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-20eeaed5\" data-id=\"20eeaed5\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aad33a7 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-153 elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"aad33a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xl\" href=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/ask-a-question\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Ask a Question<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My dear and precious friends, I hope you are all doing great, that you are all able to embrace the &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Edition #14  LOVE MENDING HOPE &#8211; As We Share A Different, Yet Communal, Journey\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-14-love-mending-hope-as-we-share-a-different-yet-communal-journey\/#more-1485\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Edition #14 <br \/> LOVE MENDING HOPE &#8211; As We Share A Different, Yet Communal, Journey<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1515,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-a-stranger-to-another","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1485"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1485\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}