Hope is the thing with feathers
““Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all.”
Are you hopeful as you step into the new year?
This morning, my husband shared an opinion piece with me about hope by Lauren Jackson, who writes Believing, a weekly newsletter for The New York Times. Her newsletter explores how people live religion, experience spirituality, and find meaning in their lives.
I have been reading the numerous New Year’s messages on social media this past week. Many are focused on uncertainty, fear, and hopelessness. They have had me questioning my own sense of hope.
In her article, Jackson shares that hope is “one of the strongest predictors of well-being”. This, according to Chan Hellman, the director of The Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma, who says hope helps improve the immune system and aids recovery from illness.
Jackson goes on to list three things people need to cultivate hope, citing Jamil Zaki, the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab.
They first need to be able to envision a better future, either personally or collectively.
Second, they need the willpower or motivation to move toward that future.
And third, they must be able to chart “a path from where they are to where they want to be”.
Hope is not a new topic to Ageless Possibilities. In Seeds of Hope, I explored the idea of planting seeds of hope” as a way to cultivate confidence in the future. In There Is Much to Hope For, I wrote of the hopelessness that I felt concerning the future for my children and grandchildren. I shared words from people I respect who helped remind me that I have so much to hope for.
Many of us are feeling a deep need for hope. Last spring, with encouragement from some of the women in one of my writing groups, I created a workshop series focused on hope and resilience. Pat, one of the participants, spoke of planting seeds of hope. I would like to gift you some quotes and reflection/writing prompts to help you plant seeds of hope as you step into this new year.
I asked my husband this morning, Are you hopeful? He said he hadn’t really thought about it. He asked me, Are you hopeful? Yesterday, I might have said no. But, maybe what I had needed was the deep conversation that ensued between us, an exchange of feelings of despair, and yes, of hope. It seems we both feel hope.
Jackson asked readers what gave them hope:
Seeing a man playing peekaboo with a young toddler seated in front of him on an airplane (a stranger to him), over and over.
Have you heard a kid really laugh? From their gut? That sound could end all wars.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving. No one thought we could re-educate the populace to stop drinking and driving.
Belief in humanity
People like Ahmed el Ahmed in Australia, who don’t think twice about risking their lives to help others.
What gives me hope?
A firm belief that good outweighs evil.
Knowing the world is full of helpers.
The tree on our property, almost bent over in a recent wind storm, standing tall once again.
The junco mother, who single-handedly fledged two healthy babies in one of our plants.
My grandchildren, who have opened a part of my heart I did not even know existed.
If I asked you the same question that Jackson posed to her readers, what would be your response? What gives you hope?
