R.A.D.I.C.A.L. Thoughts for R.A.D.I.C.A.L. Women

“Hope is like light … even the tiniest bit guides us through the darkness.”

After a midlife divorce, sometimes there is only the tiniest bit of light. We are taken back to one of the R.A.D.I.C.A.L. Women on the www.radicalwomennetwork.com site who was a bit farther along on her journey who said she would be holding her lantern in the night for those just starting out. Holding our small lantern for others is very much a part of the healing and growing as we go through this experience. When we understand that even in the darkness we have a light to shine that will help someone farther down the line, it gives us courage and suddenly we look up and see a whole line of lanterns lighting our way. I love the picture of a body of water or a trail with lights glimmering in the darkness. In your struggles, be willing to share your insights as you learn them. Be willing to share your small victories as you go along. The more we talk of the good things that happen through this, the brighter our light will shine, and after a season, we find ourselves standing in the glorious, warm sun.

The quote above was taken from a sympathy card I received from a nephew’s wife after the death of my mom. This couple is very close to my heart, and she is one of the most creative, lovely people I have ever met. The rest of the card said this and it, too, is so appropriate for women struggling to survive an unwanted divorce (or the loss of a mother):

“Wishing you hope to help you see your hidden strengths, to show you the way, little by little.”

We will all move along life’s challenges discovering our hidden strengths little by little in the beginning. But I have no doubt that soon we will be taking bolder steps and longer strides and before we know it we will all be running for the new life that God is preparing us for, and it will unfold more gloriously than we can even imagine.