There are times when the path we are walking is dark and hard to navigate. We tread slowly, trying to maintain our footing on unsteady ground. It is often during these times that we cling to hope. This call for hope is a deep desire that the future be different than our present circumstances.
We hope the path brightens so we can see where we are going. We hope to make it one step at a time, unscathed. We hope for better days ahead.
There are other times when hope represents a wish. We might hope to find a spot in a mall parking lot at the busiest season of the year. Or we hope there are tickets available to see a show a friend recommended. Hope might be expressed about doing well on an exam, getting an interview for a desired job, or an acceptance letter into the college or university of our choice.
We hope because we yearn for something good to happen.
Hope can also be offered as a prayer, a sentiment to another for their well-being, good health, safety, or even love. We often hope people feel better when they are ill. We hope they make it safely to their travel destination. And we might offer our hope to couples for a long-lasting love or to new parents for their patience and presence.
A prayer of hope can also be extended to our global community in times of a natural disaster, civil war, an economic crisis, or political corruption.
Hope is a beautiful word. It is a light in the dark, a spark of positivity, and a way to offer comfort and good wishes to others.
When there is hope, there is possibility. When there is hope, there is love.
(originally published December 5, 2016)
