Recently, I attended a local school board meeting. Because of a few items on the agenda, it was standing room only, and I found myself in the hallway for a couple of hours with a group of high school students and their two advisors. We were all waiting for our turn to make our presentations, and though we listened to what was happening in the boardroom, as is the nature of these events, we found ourselves whispering pleasantries to one and another as well as a few comments about what was transpiring in the other room.

I wondered at the reason this group of respectful but energetic teenagers was in attendance at a rather drab, monotonous meeting, predominately made up of adults. Fortunately, I was still watching from the hallway when it was their turn to speak. I listened as they described their attendance at a conference in the spring and how it had transformed them as individuals and as a group. I listened and watched as the mood in the room changed from mundane and a bit stuffy to light-hearted, with joy and smiles sprinkled in. Then, one of the board members asked what had specifically happened to bring about the change for this group. The girls listed some of the things they had learned and some of their experiences, but could not point to anything specific. As the question was asked, I knew precisely what had happened. These girls had found hope. Hope things can change. Hope for a different future. Hope there could be equity. They had found the bright light of hope and believed in its promise but also acknowledged they had work to do. It was this hope which had filled the room, touching each person in attendance.

Hope is defined as an expectation or desire for a specific outcome, yet sadly, as I talk with people, hope seems to have been replaced with resignation. A deep-seated resignation things will not change, leading to inaction and apathy. Perhaps it is because the belief is individual choices don’t matter. Maybe it is because hope exists in a liminal space between what is real and what we want. A space that is not solid but only exists as we expend energy to create it. Perhaps the hopelessness I encounter permeating so many conversations is born of other reasons or a combination of many. Truly, I don’t know and can only reflect on my relationship with hope.

For me, hope is not just an expectation or desire. It is a world of possibility playing a key role in my choices and the paths I choose to walk. From environmental to societal issues, it is my companion helping me continue day to day, quietly whispering to me my choices do make a difference. Quietly reminding me my power lies in how I choose to live, not in letting others decide for me.

The seemingly insignificant choice of picking up trash as I walk my dog along the beach or the street matters. The decision to use bar shampoo and laundry strips, which are more environmentally friendly as they reduce plastic packaging, does matter. Choosing to speak out against hate and unkindness does matter. So many other daily decisions like these do matter. Part of the challenge is that, in the moment, these choices may not seem to make a difference because sweeping change doesn’t happen because of one action, one choice. However, like the pebble dropped in the still pond that creates ever-extending ripples, change happens, often born of a single decision. One action encouraging another born of hope, and the cycle begins to shift. Ultimately, these decisions matter if only because they are how I wish to live my life, and how I live my life matters.

So for me, hope is many things. It is trust. It is an expectation. It is the bright light that beckons in the distance, allowing me to continue walking forward. It is the newly unfolding petals of a wildflower and the beauty they promise. It is the chorus of baby birds greeting a parent with their meal. It is the uncomfortable liminal space of accepting reality and wanting things to be different. It is listening to a group of teenagers share their unexpected dreams for the future. Hope is life and the birth of change, helping me greet each day with joy and wonder.

I wish you, dear friend, the bright light of hope every day as you travel on your heartfelt journey. ~♥~

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.  

Desmond Tutu