The Hand of Hope

image courtesy of greaterthings.com

When I started this blog, I promised myself not to post anything thats not makeup-related. Nothing personal. Nothing that involves anything that tackles the things that get through me. This is an exception and I hope you guys read on since its something that moved me. Something that I know, made me a better person. Ill try my best not to be boring, but I promise reading everything on this entry will be worth it.  

Its not everyday that we come across something or someone that could make us realize the value of life, most of the time, once the road (aka. life) gets a little bumpy, we always end up sulking about life being unfair, that we dont deserve all those complications that life has to offer. For the past few months, a lot of things happened to me, which brought me to realize one thing- Life is way more than all those negativities we complain about, that each waking day is a gift, something we must be thankful for in every way no matter how "difficult" life is for us. 

Let me share one of the things that brought me to wake up to that realization... 

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these 

special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was

the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.

The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life."

Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She said, "The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person". Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation was 100 percent successful.

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If I were to look for a picture that can best explain the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words", I wouldnt think twice, this picture would be the first thing that would cross my mind. Id have to admit I cried after reading through the message that came with it. The picture says everything, no need for detailed elaborations. Its just something that will shake you in a good way, something that will shoot you right thru the chest, something that will wake you from dwelling into something that drags you down. 

Now If you think you are having a really tough time dealing with life, maybe its about time that you recall how blessed you are for having the gift of life, that the only thing you worry about is how to improve it and to make it fit your ideals.  If you feel tired and burned out by how stressful your life is, be thankful that you arent struggling to be alive, because some people are and Im sure they would love to trade places with you if given a chance. 

We dont need to worry much about why life doesnt always go our way, everything happens for a reason and life is ought to teach us something from all those experiences. Having negative thoughts and feelings about stuff is normal, but remember that ugly thoughts will just eat you and wont do you any good. Be happy and learn how to be appreciative even of the littlest things that you have, be happy and Im sure youll get to sleep peacefully at night. 

That being said, last night, I  had the most gorgeous sleep Ive ever had -- I slept for just three hours, but the best thing about it is that I woke up happy after I realized its about time to let go of the things that make me feel crappy. 

The Hand of Hope brought me to a realization that transformed me. 

So today, my inspirational thought would have to be : 

         Life is a blessing and its just too short to spend much of it being mad.

I think Id love to live with this principle. It wouldnt hurt to remind myself this once in a while. Right?  

And oh! I love how Ogie Diaz says "Every gising is a blessing" never fails to brighten up my day. How about you, when was the last time you saw something that moved you? 

Spread Love and Stay Fab!!