For those of you. Steph Irwin is a mom of two children, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. She works for a nonprofit that supports children with cancer and their families. She is planning a vacation in Florida. Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn't give up.
Good morning, y'all. Happy caregiver Thursday. It is sunny here in Savannah, Georgia, and I'm excited that fall is coming up. I've got iced pumpkin coffee. So that's my little bit of self care before I start the work day.
So today I wanted to talk to you guys about small hope. For those of you. Good morning, speak wonder. Jules.
Steph Irwin is a mom of two children, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. She works for a nonprofit that supports children with cancer and their families. She is planning a vacation in Florida.
Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn't give up. To feel hope, you don't need to be in a great situation. You just need to know that the future is uncertain and that life contains light as well as dark. Sometimes as caregivers, we can lose hope with certain things.
So what small hope do you guys want to foster this week? Or when life seems really dark and just know, guys, that you're not alone and that there is light among the dark. And I hope you all have a great, a great Thursday and a fabulous weekend.
Good morning, y'all. Happy caregiver Thursday. How is everybody doing today? It is sunny here in Savannah, Georgia, and I'm excited that fall is coming up. I have my. My hug in a mug. My iced coffee this morning. I've got iced pumpkin coffee. Tis the season. So that's my little bit of self care this morning. My little coffee cup before I start the work day. Good morning, Jules. Hey, speak wonder. How are y'all doing today? It's good to see you guys on here. So today I wanted to talk to you guys about small hope.
For those of you. Good morning, speak wonder. Shannon. Jules. Hey. Hey. Good morning. So I wanted to talk to you guys about small hope. For those of you who don't. Who I don't know yet. I am Steph Irwin. I am a mom of two children, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. And work wise, I work for a nonprofit that supports children with cancer and their families, both in the community and in the hospital. Oh, speak wonder. Yes. Vacation in Florida. That sounds amazing. It's a good time of year to go down there, enjoy the sunshine in the sunshine state.
I used to live there a long time ago. It's quite beautiful. So I want to tell you guys about this book. So there's a book called the Comfort book by Matt Haig, and I love this quote that I want to share with y'all. He writes, nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn't give up. To feel hope, you don't need to be in a great situation. You just need to understand that things will change. You don't need to deny the reality of the present. You just need to know that the future is uncertain and that life contains light as well as dark.
I'm gonna read a little bit of that again because I feel like it's so powerful. Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn't give up. To feel hope, you don't need to be in a great situation. You just need to understand that things will change. You don't need to deny the reality of the present. You just need to know that the future is uncertain and that life contains light as well as dark. So beautiful. I love that he mentions that nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn't give up.
Sometimes as caregivers, we can lose hope with certain things. And, you know, it's important to focus on some of these, these small hopes, and we just keep trying at it, you know, when life can get hard or too difficult. I'm going to tell you guys a quick little story. My daughter, Anna Marie, who is eight and has autism, she has at least five therapies a week. And last week she looked at me and said, mom, all my friends are doing fun things after school and I have to be here and work hard in all my therapies and I hate it and you know it.
Even though I know she needs it, it still broke my mama heart. But I told her, I said, you know, these aren't going to last forever. You don't have to be in all of these therapies forever. And her occupational therapist said she started marking things off of her I her goal list and said that she is getting closer and closer to graduating one day. And I think that just gave her that small little bit of hope that she doesn't have to do this forever. It just clicked and her whole demeanor changed for the rest of the day.
She was like, awesome. I get to graduate from some of this one day. And I said, yeah, you just keep working hard, you know, do what they're asking you to do and you're going to get better, you're going to get stronger, you're going to improve little by little and eventually you are going to get through this and you will have more time to do fun things after school as well as your friends. And she's been focusing on that small, small bit of hope through all of her therapies. I have to keep reminding her of that, so keep that in my mind, too.
So what small hope do you guys want to foster this week? Or when life seems really dark and just know, guys, that you're not alone and that there is light among the dark. And I hope you all have a great, a great Thursday and a fabulous weekend. Cheers from my hug in a mug to yours. You guys take care. Take care of yourselves.
