HOPE

A series of essays.....

 TRANQUIL LAKE LOCATED JUST NORTH
OF BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA ~ TAKEN 6-14-2016

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

HOPE

.....is a small and humble word that holds the weight of the world and all who inhabit her above it, merely waiting to be smashed into a million different pieces at any given moment....if we allow this to happen.

Hope is fragile. Hope is personal. Hope is the longing or desire for something paired with the belief in the possibility of its occurrence. It is the idea that if we work hard enough, study intensely, believe in all possibilities, and center our expectations towards a common goal...our pertinacious desires will be fulfilled; our expectations for the future will be achieved.

Hope is seen in the absence of evil or negativity even when we are surrounded by both daily. We delight in the birth of a baby because we take comfort in the purity of soul this young child represents and, once again, in our lifetime, desire that feeling for ourselves. To be free from moral wrong and not corrupted by hate, fear, treachery, greed, and blatant untruths is to have hope in what lies ahead of us. Hope is to be able to start fresh and see the world through the eyes of children where the spectrum of color constantly amazes and delights and is not valued through the skin tones of varying shades of black and white!

Hope is a small treasure we should keep in our pocket (heart) at all times. Like a talisman touched for luck to avert danger, we hold tight to the possibility that it will take us to where we need to be at any moment in our humble lives. We trust, expect, and believe in the power of our hope because without it, our desires will be as unattainable as an illusive dream....bordering on wild fantasy and unrealistic aspirations.

Hope can be universal and not restricted to a single mind or train of thought. Its presence produces connecting threads like the silken strands of a spider's web that stretch out to connect with and support others who seek truth and love around the world. Even with its intricate design majestically outlined by early morning dewdrops that glisten in the rising sunlight, this group effort can be dashed by outside entities programmed to undermine us at every turn. Hope can repair these broken threads as long as we continue to place our faith in its existence and carry on.

Hope gives us the confidence to aspire to greater things. Without it our world becomes small, inadequate, and characterized by despair and life is difficult if not impossible to navigate. Given hope and the opportunity of education, employment, the expectation of a brighter future, and self-esteem....the possibilities become endless. Hope may come in the guise of a mentor, the examples of a loving parent, a teacher, or ministers of the Divine Will. When hope takes us beyond the boundaries of the ordinary and into the realm of the exceptional, we are destined to become the inventors, philosophers, artists, scientists, and leaders that draw us into a brighter future where the imagination rules and hope itself springs eternal.

Hope is a feeling within that guides us in the right direction. Like meditation, hope helps us deepen and expand our horizons and understand how beautiful and whole our lives can be. May hope be our motivator and lead the weary and strong alike into a future that benefits all of mankind through genuine kindness and love.




     THE PERFECT END OF THE DAY ON                     PROVENCE DREAMING
                     LAKE MICHIGAN
       Courtesy of: Corinne Grimm                                                      



Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved