There are people who believe hope is unrealistic, maybe even the opposite of realistic.
Some people are convinced we need to face the bleakness of our prospects in all their stark darkness. They focus their attention on the obstacles we must overcome, the challenges threatening to hold us back. Some of us are committed to doing whatever it takes to completely understand how hard it will be.
Now, I appreciate a juicy worst case scenario. I have responded, after hearing someone else’s dire assessment, “No, it is even worse than that . . .” We think it motivates us when we take the measure of the most challenging possibilities.
Difficult situations do not inspire us. We are inspired by hope. We remember we have dealt with issues like this before, or we know people who have, and we find hope. Hope pushes us forward, helping us find ways through or around what threatens to defeat us.
Our memories tend to shortchange hope. Hope is not easy to measure or quantify, so we often discount it. We like to think of ourselves as courageous or insightful. Seeing our actions as hopeful does not sound nearly as heroic or significant.
Hope can feel small. It is not the flame of persistence or brilliant analysis. Hope is the spark which lights the fire. Without hope, our fire would never be ignited in us.
Our hope may feel small or weak because we do not practice exercising it. It may help us to step into situations that will stretch our hope. We may need to build more powerful hope in other people.
We need to give our hope the fuel and oxygen it needs to grow stronger and brighter.
Who will spark hope in you this week?
How will you practice hope today?
[Image by Steve Snodgrass]
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