More Thoughts On Hope

It seems to me that hope is about movement. In the same way that nostalgia is about a backward glance, hope pulls us forward. The power of hope is about change, something better that is in front of us. This movement forward is essential to our well being. If we stop, we stagnate.

There is an innumerable amount of things that drag us down, that steal our momentum. Fear, uncertainty, difficulty, sorrow, pain; these all, like friction, make moving forward almost impossible. As we are overcome by them, there is a darkness that settles into our soul. When there is no way ahead, there is a weight so crushing, it seem almost like a physical thing.

There in that moment, when all seems lost, is when we need it. Hope wasn't meant for those who have all the momentum. Hope wasn't designed for those who are on top of the world, hurtling forward like a train out of control. Hope operates best when we are down and out. Stuck and slogging through the mud, and not making any progress.

LIke a beam of light in a dark tunnel, hope shines down and gives us a reason for one more step. Sometimes that's all we can do, one step. When it's hard we need it. Not when it's easy. The fact that we can't see the way is proof that we are in the right spot for hope to work.