Hope Deferred to Hope Restored

By Gloria Nesloney

Tears flooded my eyes when I could not see past the pain so many years ago. I am taken back to the time when wordy prayers seemed endless and aimless. I didn’t have real requests or supplications, only complaints, and sadness. It all started while I was assigned to my duty station in 1993. I requested liberty the weekend of Valentine's. It was a common practice to request leave in advance so that your duties were completed or someone could be placed in a position to fill in. A couple of others requested liberty on the same weekend. Our names were placed on a roster so everyone could see who was going to be out and who was staying to help with duties.

I saved some money to take a taxi to visit several locations outside the base. I had plans to eat a fancy lunch, go sightseeing, go shopping and finally spend the night off-base for the first time. I was captivated by the dew drops that lingered to collect under the leaves and then drip slowly to the ground. My moment of solace and quietness kept me at the forest long enough to stay before the evening hours.