Merlin van Lawick, Jane Goodall’s grandson, shared this:
“Imagine you’re in a tunnel, a dark tunnel. And at the end of the tunnel, there were these lights. This light symbolizes hope. It’s no good sitting there and just hoping that the light is going to come closer to you.
What you have to do is start crawling towards that light. You have to get over obstacles, under obstacles, push against them. Do what you can to get to that light at the end of the tunnel. Hence, hope is rooted in action.”
Whew. Many of us know what it feels like to be in our own dark tunnel.
The season where anxiety is so much in our bodies
When you feel tired.
The season where you wonder if anything is actually changing in your life
I believe this quote reminds us that hope is not a passive thing. Hope is movement.
It's not having your whole life figured out by next Tuesday, but movement.
Even a crawl still counts.
One deep inhale and exhale for a few rounds.
One journal page, instead of letting your thoughts spiral
One walk around the block. Just 1
One hard conversation, even if it's with yourself
One therapy appointment.
One moment where you choose rest instead of pushing yourself into exhaustion.
I think sometimes we wait for healing to arrive like a package at our front door. I know I did - too many times to count.
One day I’ll wake up calmer.
One day I’ll stop overthinking.
One day, life will feel lighter.
But healing is asking for participation. Tiny brave choices repeated over time.
And yes, some days the action is rest. Some days, the action is crying. Some days, the action is simply getting out of bed and drinking water.
So let me ask you:
What does crawling toward your light look like today?
Not ten steps.
Just one.
With care,
Vee
