HOPE

I recently heard a Pastor talking about how important hope is and how, without it, there is really nothing to live for. This is a strong statement, and as a positive person, I have never been hopeless, even during dark times. This may be because I grew up in a solid middle-class Christian home and have put my faith in Jesus Christ as my higher power. When I apply the topic of hope to my work as a mediator, I try to recognize how much hope people have and in what. Thankfully, most parties do have hope in some aspect of their lives so that the conflict or dispute in question can be put in perspective.  In a child custody conflict, hope can be placed in the joy the child brings, even if the circumstances are not ideal for the parent. An employee can put their hope in other options offered by other opportunities if their current job does not end up working out, and even a broken relationship can be repaired to the point of “agree to disagree” or “agree not to see each other again.” It may seem that the conflict is the only thing you see when you are in the middle of it, and the light at the end of the tunnel is either an oncoming train or very dim. At these times, mediation may be the path to the hope you need, and even if the other person does not agree to mediation, you will benefit from working through your story to find hope and peace.