We have to choose joy and keep choosing it
every day” (Henri J M Nouwen). At
Christmas we sing ‘joy to the world’, a feeling encompassing momentary internal
peace and contentment. This sense of
peace can be easily lost in pressures of attending social events, completing
shopping lists and balancing household budgets.
‘Joy’ may struggle to surface under the avalanche of seasonal demands.
A Way Out offers support incorporating an ‘asset based’
approach, encouraging and empowering women, young people and families to focus
upon individual strengths; to find elements of joy in difficulties and crisis. This approach unearths nuggets of internal
peace when everything seems chaotic. Recently,
during an evening outreach, we supported a woman facing multiple crises…
eviction; loss of belongings; mental health issues; abusive relationship;
survival sex-work and struggling with addictions. Whilst agreeing how to address these
overwhelming difficulties she sat in the cosiness of our outreach vehicle and enjoyed
fresh hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and she stopped shivering. She tucked into sandwiches and the racing
thoughts in her mind seemed to calm. From
a selection of donated hats, scarves and gloves she focussed her thoughts upon
choosing a hat in a colour that suited her.
Looking into her small cracked hand-mirror she gazed at her own
reflection wearing her chosen hat, and she smiled… a joy-filled smile, an instant
of internal peace amongst crisis and chaos… in that moment she chose joy and
experienced a tiny twinkling of contentment.
A Way Out’s work is long term, we will continue to empower her to transform
her situation.
We encourage you to choose moments of joy each day and thank
those who have supported A Way Out to bring joy empowerment and transformation.
For more info please visit www.awayout.co.uk
or follow A WAY OUT Charity on facebook.
