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Introduction

Back in 1995 when my wife and I discovered that my son, Jonathan was autistic, we were devastated. At that time, Jonathan was 5 years old and was diagnosed as having late-onset of autism. Thus from the ages of 1 to 4, Jonathan’s development was normal. We felt that we had lost our son although he was still physically with us. Back in 1995, autism was still an unknown subject, and facilities in Sarawak for people with autism were virtually non-existence. We were then desperately looking for help and guidance but could not find any. It was during this time, that a sense of hopelessness engulfed us. There seems to be no hope and we felt that Jonathan’s future was bleak.

What is Hope?

The concept of hope can be different for different people. When people talk about hope in a spiritual setting, they may be referring to the belief that good things will happen as a result of their faith in a higher force. They may pray and direct their hopes outward.

Others may see this as constantly looking on the bright side of things and viewing problems as opportunities. To put it another way, you're always "hoping for the best." The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hope as “To cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true,”.

Whatever the specifics, hope entails a strong wish for things to improve and a strong yearning for that better scenario.

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Why Is Hope So Important?

To have hope is to wish for a positive outcome that will improve your life in some way. It can not only make a difficult present situation more tolerable, but it can also enhance our lives in the long run since imagining a better future drives you to take the measures necessary to make it a reality.
Hope is a part of everyone's life, whether we realize it or not. Everyone has a wish list. It's part of what it is to be human. Hope is an element of the self-narrative about our lives that we all have going through our heads, and it helps us determine what we desire for our futures.

Giving Hope To Others

Having experience hopelessness at the beginning of my journey with my son’s autism, I felt that my experience and sharing can bring a glimmer of hope for other parents in similar situations. This is also what drives me to blog now that I have more time since I am retired.

To cut the long story short, our desire to build a better future for Jonathan spurred my wife and me to set up the Sarawak Autistic Association in 1998. My wife Roselind was the founding President and I was the founding Vice-President and we roped in two other families as committee members. We practically started from scratch with Jonathan’s former kindergarten teacher Mina being recruited as the pioneer teacher. The three families shared the expenses to send Mina to the National Autistic Association of Malaysia (NASOM) which was located in Kuala Lumpur for training. After her training, Mina started teaching 3 students at one of the parent’s house.

The Sarawak Autistic Association (later renamed as Kuching Autistic Association) has grown by leaps and bounds from such a humble beginning. The Association now has its own buildings and more than 100 students are currently receiving various types of therapies and assistance there. When we first started the Association, we could not imagine that the Association would be able to build its own building and help so many people. What Roselind and I had started in an act of desperation in our darkest moments with just a glimmer hope had developed into an institution that now offers hopes of a brighter future for people with autism and their families.

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The premise of Kuching Autistic Association. Please visit the Association's website to learn more about their activities and how you may assist.

I like to encourage members of the silver bloggers' community to share their rich stories and experiences. You have all undergone the ups and downs of life and your writings too can bring hope especially for the younger generation. I like to end my blog post with my original poem “My Name Is Hope”.

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My Poem: My Name Is Hope

My Name Is Hope
Hope is a word of encouragement
To motivate the weary and heavy-laden
To move on with a smile

My Name Is Hope
Hope is a listening ear
That understands our woes and sorrows
For there is a better tomorrow

My Name Is Hope
Hope is a guiding light
To show us the way
Leading us from our darkest moments

My Name Is Hope
Hope is an act of kindness
Shown to perfect strangers
Without expecting anything in return

My Name Is Hope
Hope is happiness returned to sender
For we reap
What we sow

Follow me and stay positive.

Do check out my previous posts.

Rant:If Others Can’t Manage Their Stupidity Then I Need To Manage My Anger
Beautiful Singapore
Ulaan Batar Train Station, Mongolia
Shelter From The Sun
Exploring The World Largest Religious Monument Angkor Wat
Sunset At The Beach
Wild Flowers
Langkawi Island, Malaysia
The Great Wall Of China
The Majestic Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

Spreading positivity one post at a time.
Charles

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