I would also like to share another personal story regarding my hope for hearing. I was born deaf on my right ear and only hear about 40% on my left ear. I am deaf on my right ear due to being born without an eardrum. I received the miracle of hearing for the first time on my right ear on January 30, 2015! I had surgery to have a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) implant on the right side of my skull. Although I was told that there was a risk of nerve damage during surgery which could cause me to lose my smile on the right side, I still went forward with the surgery because my hope and faith was stronger than my fear. My hope to hear on my right side became a reality and tears rolled down my face when I heard new sounds for the first time. I heard the sound of leaves wrestling on the tree, birds chirping, tires rolling on the blacktops, footsteps on the floor, water running from the shower in a different room, and being able to hear my kids from behind while I am driving, to name a few!
My daily rituals of gratitude and appreciation coupled with having hope continue to give me strength to be my family’s anchor. I know without a doubt that we are meant to live our best life with intentional purpose to make a positive difference in our personal lives and in the lives of the people in our world.
I learned that when I can’t change my circumstances, I can choose to decide how I am going to respond to my circumstances. I’ve learned to be mindful and ask myself “where is my hope today” to keep me grounded that my Giver and Provider (God) is the anchor of my life and He is in charge of my life and in my triplets’ lives. Keep hope and faith alive.
Hope – if you only carry one thing throughout your entire life, let it be hope. Let it be hope that better things are always ahead. Let it be hope that you can get through even the toughest of times. Let it be hope that you are stronger than any challenge that comes your way. Let it be hope that you are exactly where you are meant to be right now and that you are on the path to where you are meant to be…. Because during these times, hope will be the very thing that carries you through. Quote by Nikki Banas
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References
- Averill, J.R., Catlin, G. & Chon, K.K. (1990). Rules of Hope. New York, NY: Springr-Verlag.
- Calderon-Romero, Maria. Maria’s Personal Journal. 2005, pgs 1-4.
- Farran, C.J., Herth, K.A. & Popovich, J.M. (1995). Hope and Hopelessness: Critical Clinical Constructs. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
- Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence – Why it Can Matter More Than IQ. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
- Snyder, C.R. (1994). The Psychology of Hope: You Can Get There From Here. New York, NY: The Free Press.
