<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hope</strong> has always been important to me. Like our theme of <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">&ldquo;Having Hope,&rdquo;</strong> I&rsquo;m grateful that <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hope</strong> is my constant companion. When I was in spiritual direction training, one of our teachers shared what she told clients who had lost <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hope.</strong> She told them that she was holding that <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hope</strong> for them, and they could have it back whenever they wanted. I&rsquo;ve adopted that practice and hold <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hope</strong> for the people I companion on the dying, death, and grief journeys. <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hope</strong> is contagious.</span></p>