Stories of Hope
On a hot summer day this past July, our family explored Grafton Street in Dublin. We wove in and out of shops, ate lunch at Bruxelles Pub, and admired the street vendors' beautiful flowers. While my family excitedly took in a street performer creating spray paint art, I began to look for a quiet corner where I might disappear. The sheer number of people on the street was overwhelming, and I felt myself shutting down. The only thing to do when this happens, is to find an out of the way place, where I can take a deep breath, and remind myself I only need to endure the over stimulating environment for a bit longer, which grounds me enough to re-enter the crowd. I think it's safe to assume that we have all experienced being overwhelmed or over stimulated. It could be a crowd, or trying something new. It might be the deluge of despair-filled posts on social media. It could be the stack of bills waiting at home, or the impossible to do list. It could be found in the tension of confl