Hope is Waiting

Hope is Waiting

By Jane Tawel

October 5, 2020

I needed reminding today that Hope is a gift. All I need to do is hold out my hands and accept it. But I must risk holding out my hand. I must for one moment forget, how many times that hand has been slapped away by disappointment, fear, anger, or pride. Only by forgetting the past moment, can I welcome this new moment of hope. I must remember that I cannot hold onto hope if my fists are closed or my hands are full of selfishness, greed, or vanity. I must remember how lovely it is to hold things lightly enough in one’s hands so that they can be filled with hope. Hope is a gift, but I must open myself up to accept it.

Hope is a gift, but I must listen for it, tune my heart to its sweetness. I must watch patiently for Hope to alight. I must keep my hands open for hope to remain. The minute I try to imprison hope, it will flee from me. Above all, I have to remember that there is plenty of hope to go around. Hope is strongest when it is shared.

Today, I was reminded of the long arc of hope by these artists and writers. I am thankful to them and history, both mine and the world’s, for reminding me that Hope is “the thing that perches in the soul, singing the tune without the words, never stopping at all”. Hope patiently waits for us to remember that it is powerful but meek, self-contained but kind, and that every love ever loved needs hope to help it survive.

Hope is that which inspires me to join the dreamers, believe in the goodness of other people, know that love is stronger than death. And as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us, while finite disappointment is real and hard, we must never lose hope, for Hope is infinite.

Keep Hope Alive. In fact, “live right under it”. ~~Jane

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” 
 ― Shel Silverstein

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.” 
 ― John Lennon

“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

 — Anne Frank

“The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.”

 — Barbara Kingsolver

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”

 — Robert Fulghum

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

 — Anonymous

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

 — Pablo Neruda

When the night is dark, may you still see how bright are the stars, Jane

© Jane Tawel 2020

Published by

Jane Tawel

Still not old enough to know better. I root around and explore ideas in philosophy, spirituality, poetry, Judeo-Christian Worldview, family, relationships, and art. Often torn between encouragement & self-directed chastisement, I may sputter, but I still keep trying to move forward.

18 thoughts on “Hope is Waiting”

  1. What a beautiful tribute Jane❤ my favorite acronym for hope is hold on pain ends. It really does, as everything in this life is temporary. I always say that spotting 🌈 is a reminder of hope from God. Your post is the 1st one I read this morning and I love it, what a great way of starting my week😊 Thank you my friend 🙏

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    1. Ladysag77 — Thank you for reminding me of that incredible acronym of yours. You have embraced hope so fully in your wonderful posts, in your life-choices, in your spirit — I am always blessed by reading about it. Your comments, therefore, mean so much to me. Thank you sincerely, and keep residing under the roof of hope. Let it shelter and protect you — Jane

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  3. Although I sometimes feel the thread of hope is very fragile in these times, I cling to it. It’s really what keeps me going in this atmosphere— the hope that everything works out for the best always.

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  4. Annette Kalandros — That is a lovely thought and I may have to play with your great metaphor (you are always so amazing at the metaphoric meanings). I am thinking of your fragile “thread of hope” like the spider’s thread. The more threads, the stronger. May hope be the threads that strengthen you, Jane

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  5. Beautiful post and quotes, Jane! I love they way you described hope as a living entity and energy that has it’s own life and vibe. Hope is what keeps us going. Often it’s just the tiniest ember that we have to keep fanning to life. I have another acronym for hope — heart open please enter. ❤️

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    1. The Wild Pomegranate//Abi– Oh, thank you so much for your kind comments. I LOVE your acronym — LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I feel like that could be a mantra and a prayer for every day, every stressful situation, every fear. I want to start calming myself with deep breathing and greet each morning, and go to bed at night, with your acronym on my lips and on my heart, as covenant between myself and Hope : Heart (is) Open. Hope (please) Enter. Thank you SOOOOOO much for sharing. Shalom and may hope be yours, Jane

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      1. I can’t claim it as mine…I discovered it online once and fell in love with it. It does make for a great mantra. I love mantras! Deep breathing with affirmations are a great way to start and end the day. Shalom v’shlemut (peace and wholeness)…Abi 🥰

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  6. Emily Dickinson’s poem is a favorite of mine.

    Also this from Romans 5:3-5

    “We also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

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    1. Puzzles of the Soul — Wow, I love that connection of yours. “Hopes bring our changes”. We try so hard to make changes, but I will be meditating on the truth of what you said and how believing that change comes from hope could Change me. Thank you so much for reading and the great comment. Shalom and joy and much hope to you and yours today, Jane

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  9. “I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.”

     — Robert Fulghum

    This is so beautiful

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