|
Hope
is an inside job. Although poet Alexander Pope said,
"Hope springs eternal in the human breast," hope
springs faster and more consistently when we consciously
encourage and consistently practice keeping hope afloat in
our hearts and souls. In order to keep hope
alive, it's extremely important that we monitor what we
allow ourselves to see, hear and feel, especially in
regards to the media. Because our subconscious minds
accept as real not only our personal experiences but also
those we watch or imagine vividly, it's up to us to choose
mindfully and wisely what we watch and read.
Because
images imprint deeply, the disturbing pictures and
commentary favored by the media can act as an emotional
acid, etching the pain and suffering we witness into our
own psyches. Such images can pull the plug on our
reserves of hope. Limiting your exposure to
sensationalism of all kinds is wise. Allow yourself
to be as informed as you feel the need but not to
be deformed by overexposure and overstimulation.
Hope
is so important because it's the proverbial light at the
end of any dark tunnel encountered. Hope is the
ballast that keeps you moving forward and helps you to
continue to believe in beauty, love, and survival, even
when your personal waters are incredibly
rough.
With
hope, it's easier to keep your head above water
while navigating stormy seas. Hope makes
normal, everyday life much brighter and more joyous.
|
|
|
My
friend Anne provides a great example of how to
nurture hope in hard times. During the
inevitable dark times of aggressive breast cancer
treatments, she consciously courted hope.
Allowing people to help (not a familiar feat for
her) and using Julian of Norwich's famous prayer
"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and
all manner of things shall be well" as her
mantra were two of her most important hope
boosters. Anne also intentionally chose to be
a student of cancer rather than its victim and, as
such, kept asking herself invaluable questions, like
"What lesson am I learning here?" and
"What is cancer trying to tell me?"
After the completion of surgery and treatment, Anne
stood in front of her church family and, with grace
and gratitude, shared her journey with us.
Hers were the only dry eyes in the congregation.
Practice.
. .
*
Promise yourself to keep hope afloat in your heart
and soul.
*
If you find yourself in the dark, search out a
speck, flash, or ray of light right here, right now.
*
Intentionally look on the bright side.
Throughout
your day. . .
*
Three times a day, take a moment to find a spark of
hope in nature, your own life, your home, or the
life of a friend or loved one.
|
