Hope isn’t about pretending everything is fine or turning away from what’s hard. It’s about facing reality with courage, connection, and care. It’s about noticing the small, meaningful things that anchor us and offering those sentiments to others when they need them most.

Read 5 small yet powerful ways to hold on to hope and share it with others...

As I lay here, two weeks into my foot surgery recovery, I’m thinking about the many types of recovery—post-surgery, cancer, addiction, mental health—and how each of them can result in a similar feeling: isolation. If we can’t be in person with our loved ones or coworkers who are recovering, there are gifts and gestures that can make them feel less alone, like a handwritten note or a care package. Here are some thoughtful gift ideas to help prevent feelings of isolation.