Generation Hope Goes to Indianapolis

by Kiara Tatum

It's almost time... conference starts on Friday, June 20.  And as people are traveling to Indianapolis for this year's conference, I see many postings from Generation Hope about their travels on Facebook. I'm very excited to meet up with PHriends that I haven't seen in two years, meet new PHriends, and see PHriends in person for the first time.  I"m a bit nervous about flying again.  My family isn't able to attend with me to conference, so I'll be traveling alone.  So as we all check in to the conference over the next days, don't forget review your conference program book.  There are many sessions centered around young adults that we hope you will attend.  There's also a special meet up for Generation Hope.   Generation Hope After Dark will be held on Friday, June 20, 8:30pm.  I hope you'll make it out. Previous Generation Hope After Dark in Florida was a lot of fun!  Brittany Riggins wrote about Generation Hope After 2012 in a previous posting.  This year we're adding a little game which you can win prizes, so you don't want to miss this one.  Join us for an evening of fun!!!

Safe travels to everyone!

Be Like a Kangaroo!

By Kiara Tatum

A few days ago, I was reading my daily devotional, and it was talking about how kangaroos -- due to their shape of bodies and large tails -- cannot walk or bounce backwards.  However, they bounce in forward movements very easily.  And I thought about how I move in my life, and how I can get stuck in certain places.  But the kangaroo can’t go backwards, and they move forward as part of their nature; I want to be like a kangaroo.  I want to always be moving forward.

This sounds easier for a kangaroo to do; since, it’s their animal nature, but it’s a lot harder for people, especially those with a chronic illness like PH to follow this concept.  To add this concept as part of our human nature; it seems almost unnatural.  As a PH patient, I’m always having thoughts about why did I get PH; what if I didn’t gain so much weight, would I have gotten PH; if my pediatrician saw the whole in my heart when I was younger, would I have PH now; if I didn’t decide to go back to work would I be dealing with Social Security complications; and so on and so on.  I don’t want to stay stuck on those things of the past because it's a lonely, dark, sad place to stay.  As I read in the devotional I can’t really live there, and I don’t want my PHriends to live in the past either.  I had to learn and I’m still learning these lessons in life:

1. Leave the past behind you
2. Reach for things ahead of you
3. Think positively 
4. Be hopeful
5. And know you’re never alone

I will be like a kangaroo; always moving forward.  I will learn from my past, but leave it behind me, so that I can live a more fulfilled, joyous life.