There is a lot happening in the world that inspires, especially how, in different communities across the globe, we’ve come together to support each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are also things that cause us to pause and show the worst of man’s inhumanity to man, and, consequently, sends people marching into the streets to demand change. George Floyd’s death reflects the latter. Enter hope…
Clinging to Hope
Through these challenging and uncertain times, I cling steadfast to hope. The hope that one voice can make a difference. The hope that, collectively, we will fight for what is right and what is just, and leave this world a better place for those coming up behind us. And the hope that we will not let negativity and hate rule the day, and that, in ways that may be unique to us, be the light in someone else’s life. For I still believe, no matter how naively it may seem, that when we love each other deeply, we can change the world. Barack Obama put it ever so eloquently:
“Hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It’s not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it. Hope is the belief that destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by the men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is, who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.”
Gratitude
Even as it seems the world is, at times, spinning out of control, I am grateful. Every morning, I am grateful for the very gift of waking up to see a new day. Instead of being bitter and angry because COVID-19 shuddered numerous industries and left me unemployed, I am still grateful that I have my health, and for the opportunity to set out on a new adventure. The road ahead may be uncertain and daunting, but I am grateful for the love and friendships in my life that will see me through. Grateful for the men and women working, and those who tragically lost their lives doing so, on the COVID-19 frontlines to deliver essential services. For the men and women marching for justice, equality, and respect. Grateful, yes — and on the darkest of days — to see the beauty that is this world.
As Melody Beattie reminds us, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
Hope and Gratitude Belong to Me
That is why hope and gratitude are two things you can’t take away from me. They are my compass and my guide that, on the days when storm clouds hover, lead me to the light.
What is your hope? At this very moment, what are you most grateful for? Click Reply to share. I love hearing from you!
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