I am not sure there is a worse feeling.
In February, I did a month of courage related posts, in anticipation of the release of Highland Courage. All of us would like to believe that if faced with some some horrible circumstance, we would do what we could to change it. If you saw a car speeding toward your child, or anyone’s child, I firmly believe most most of us would do whatever they could to try and save the child.
I believe humans are hard-wired for action. If there is a problem we want to do something. Even if we are too far away to help physically, we want to donate money, goods or services. At our deepest levels I believe we need to help. To do.
For that reason, we find it overwhelming when there is absolutely nothing that can be done, when we are helpless.
My heart broke today when I read about the last cell phone messages sent to loved ones from people on the Korean ferry that sank. I imagined receiving a text from one of my children. Mom, I’m trapped. I don’t know if I’ll make it. The utter helplessness of being perhaps hundreds of miles away, knowing that your child may be facing death and not being able to do anything must have been devastating.
People face helplessness every day. Perhaps they have a child with an incurable disease. Perhaps they must look on as a loved one self-destructs, with no power to act. No matter the reason, by virtue of being humans innately programmed to do, we will never be able to face helplessness with ease.
At times like this, I can only turn to God. My thoughts and prayers today are with those Korean families, and everyone else who find themselves feeling that kind of devastating helpless.
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
Ceci Giltenan, Author 
Very beautiful Ceci!
I believe most of us do feel a level of helplessness each day we face reality, wether it’s at a workplace environment or even seeing complete strangers on the road. I for one is a very emotional person, so if I see an old person doing grocery shopping all alone my heart goes out to that person. Most people know my grandfather passed away last December & I was cometely hopeless knowing that I can never do anything physically to help him. So mentally all I can do is pray ad not just for my grandfather but for complete strangers too. I hope we all have te courage to face our helplessness & help others less fortunate than us.
Thanks for this beautiful reminder of what humanity is all about. I will continue to do my part to help anyone that needs it.
P.S. I love Fingal : )
Thank you Annie. Hugs to you. I know the loss of your grandfather was heartbreaking.
❤ Ceci
Hoplessness is what I have felt since loosing my gorgeous man and soul mate to throat cancer on Nov 4th last year. He would have been 50 on the 4th May and he really wanted to be 50. We had so many plans. I never understood how devesting this could be, I have been a nurse for many years and palliative care was one of my specialities but the difference between professional and personal is so immence. I think it will make me a more understanding nurse as far as really understanding the devistation of such a loss. I miss him so much every day and really struggle with how to carry on. Hence the feeling of hoplessness. I escape into my books as my way of dealing with this.
Dear Paula, I am so very sorry for your loss. I was an oncology nurse for years. The kind of loss you are experiencing is truly devastating. Hearing that you feel hopeless is equally heartbreaking. I’m glad you find solace in reading. However, I would not be worth my salt as a nurse if I didn’t tell you, your hopelessness concerns me. I encourage you to seek some grief support if you have not already. I’m sure you have offered this advice to countless families.
Your darling husband, your soul mate, would want you to continue living life fully. In your heart you know this because you know if the situation were reversed it is what you would want for him.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
❤ Ceci