Hope is the basic ingredient of optimism, a tendency to dwell on the best possibilities. Hope is a positive and potent spiritual practice with the power to pull us through difficult times. It is usually described with light metaphors...a ray, a beam, a glimmer of hope, the break in the clouds, the light at the end of the tunnel. It is often discovered in unexpected places.

Hope can be learned with practice. Certain attitudes support it. One is patience, an ability to tolerate delays, a willingness to let events unfold in their own time. The other is courage, an attitude of confidence even when facing the unknown. A third is persistence, the determination to keep going no matter what happens.

Be a patient, courageous, persistent person. Be hopeful and hope-filled. Your life will be lighter. You will say, "all is well!" and you will really mean it!!

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul.

And sings the tune

Without the words,

and never stops at all.
~Emily Dickinson

US poet (1830 - 1886)