Here Is Hope

Amidst all the terrible stuff going on in the world, there is also so much that’s good. The goodness in the world is a theme that’s been pressing itself on my mind more frequently of late. I’ve given space for it to flourish by paying less attention to what MSNBC, Fox, and CNN want me to care about.

Wilford W. Anderson once said, “hope, with its attendant blessings of peace and joy, does not depend upon circumstance.”

It’s a lofty statement, to be sure. How can someone find peace and joy in a war-torn nation? Where is the hope when a loved-one dies? Or when a marriage crumbles? Livelihood and homes are lost?

Hope isn’t one of those things that knocks on the door then invites itself in for tea and crumpets. Finding hope requires effort. Sometimes, you have to dig deep or search far and wide to find it. Other times, mercifully, hope is right around the corner.

When you find hope, it becomes that beacon of light that can guide you through the darkest night. Hope has staying power — if you let it. Hope won’t invite itself in, but when you let it in, it’ll stay with you; keep you company all night. Hope will hold your hand in sorrow. Hope won’t turn its back on you. Hope is a faithful friend.

But how do you find it?

Start small.

Hope can be found in. . .

laughter.

the sounds of a newborn baby.

friendship.

marriage.

kindness.

service.

faith.

healing.

watching a bird fly.

blue sky.

deep breathing.

Once you start to see hope in everyday places, you may realize that it doesn’t actually require that much effort to find. But, you do have to look. You have to have eyes to see.

Don’t be afraid. It’s okay to find hope, embrace it, and ask it to stay for a while. You may be surprised by what a little hope can do for you.

Thanks for reading!