High above in the tree tops, this Great Blue Heron sits watching the sea – his stance is the epitome of Hope. Nature’s creatures are all spurned on by hope. It is one of the attributes that all of us earth inhabitants share, and share well.
By all definitions, hope is the feeling of expectation for a positive outcome. Why is it so important? Our dreams are fed on hope; an optimistic state of mind holds a light within us. When things in life go out of order, we rely upon hope to propel us.
Hope in the English language is an abstract thought tied to wishing or longing. The Hebrew word for hope “tikvah” holds a different connotation, it is more of a concrete thought like being bound by a cord or a rope – in other words something real enough to cling to.
At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, President Obama spoke beautifully about hope. He said, “…hope in the face of difficulty; hope in the face of uncertainty – that is the audacity of hope…”. That is a powerful statement that we, no matter our creed, can use to keep the spark of hope alive and working for us.
I think as modern day humans we need to think of hope in a more eternal perspective – one that reminds us that this life we know now will end, and the new life we are promised will await us. Maintaining hope for good in this life gives us even more reason to have hope for all of eternity.