Hope, the greatest gift

Some would say love is the greatest gift you could give, I would disagree. Hope is by far the greatest gift to bestow on a person. With hope all things are possible, without hope, all is lost. Hope for a better tomorrow, to achieve a goal is what gives us the courage to step out, to boldly try again no matter the cost. Hope is born, not just in our achievements, but in our failures and losses.

The scientific world has only just begun studying hope, of understanding the sheer magic of the emotion. Hope above all else will heal, will create resiliency, will encourage growth, and the desire to be a better person. It has been proven, a person cannot live without hope. They may be able to function, but without hope, there is no self, no ambition, no drive. They lack the ability to see in color, everything is useless, a waste of their time, and will fail. To put it quite simply, a person with no hope sees only what is and not what could be.

To have hope means we live in the world of what could be. We dare to dream, to try new things, to believe in ourselves. We know we are capable of so much more than what we are, and because of the hope we have, we strive to be that person. Sure, we may fail, we may get hurt, or knocked down, but hope is what picks us back up again, brushes us off, and gives us the courage to face the world again. Living with hope can only be described as seeing in technicolor.

Hope is something which we can give to others. We can teach those with no hope, to begin to see it, to watch as the seeds of hope slowly take root and bloom. Ideally, hope is something we strive to give to our families, friends, coworkers, peers, and strangers on a daily basis. When we see what a person could be, and share that vision, with encouragement and love, we give hope. When we meet a person where they are, and simply hold a hand, we give hope. When we right a wrong, stop an injustice, we give hope. When we do what is right, despite the cost to ourselves, we give hope.

When my child started school, I wanted them to learn how to learn and where to find answers, not what the answers were. I knew if they knew how to learn and seek the truth, they would always be successful. Now, as my child prepares to enter the world, I want them to see people for their actions, words, and character, not the color of their skin, their ethnicity, religion, or sexual identity. The secret to life is learning what to see and what not to see, understanding the power words have, and learning to heal the broken.

Each person is placed on this earth for a purpose, each person has value and contributes something to the world daily. It is their choice whether this will be for good or for evil. As romantic as sounds, life is this simple. When we choose to give good, when we choose to live to our fullest potential, we give hope.

You see, we never know who is watching us, we never know the ears listening. This does not mean we can never make a mistake or have a bad day. It means we always get up and try again, we admit when we are wrong, we apologize, and we are brave enough to try again.

Both my maternal grandparents lived through the Great Depression. I always wondered how they had the tenacity to overcome the loss both the Dust Bowl and Depression created. My grandmother developed the strength to create the future she wanted. She placed her hope in her ability to make the reality she chose her life. My grandfather placed his hope in tomorrow. He diligently worked today, to enjoy tomorrow. Each developed their own sense of hope, which they laced with grit and tenacity and instilled in my mother and me.

My paternal grandparents found hope in building a new life. Leaving the comforts of life behind, daring to not conform, risking their lives to come to a new country and build a safer life for their children. The courage it took to leave everything behind, learn a new language, a new culture, seems like more courage than I will ever have. Yet, their legacy taught me we are more than we seem, we can always dig deeper and find the ability to give more.

That is hope. All of this is hope. When we show others what they can be, when we dare to be what we can be, we give hope. Hope is filled with positivity, laughter, mistakes, and beauty. Hope will one day show future generations how to come together and heal the world.

Give hope to yourself. Know that tomorrow will be better, that you are capable of achieving your dreams. Give others hope, as they watch you grow.

Sincerely-

Sara