I’ve heard the proverbs — it is always darkest before the dawn, turn your face toward the sun and the shadows fall behind you, tomorrow will be a better day. What
impels us to integrate these knowings into our head and our heart? Hope —
unwavering trust and the ability to place reasonable confidence in an outcome —
provides the grace for us to believe these words and act in ways that allow
their truth to form the connection between our head and heart.
What do we do in those moments where the darkness overwhelms us, and
we feel the night will never end? Or, when we are so paralyzed that we are unable
to make the turn toward the sun? What happens when we no longer have the energy
to believe that we can make it through the next five minutes much less until
the better day of tomorrow arrives? How do we refill the reservoir of hope so that
we engage in our body, mind, spirit, and heart the words of Julian of Norwich, all will be well?
We walk a delicate balance between our current condition and what is
possible through hope. Sometimes even a shard glimmer of hope will cast a light
on the beautiful possibilities around us. In those moments of reflected hope,
we acknowledge that even in the barrenness of our life, hope is always present.
The starkness of the moment transforms as our eyes light upon hope. Hope is the
flower poking out of the cracked pavement of our being.
Being with that flower shifts the suffering and opens us to the
possibilities of the new day and a release of our shadows. Edge closer to the
flower of hope. Rest in its beauty — the colors, the symmetry, the textures,
the smell. Hope may be a tiny sign that our world is not so desolate, not as
bereft as we had believed. This miniscule drop of hope feeds that flower
thirsting for transformation and strengthens our belief in the good becoming.
Mindfulness shows us where hope is present in our life. When the
reservoir of hope seems empty, mindfulness helps us to find those last drops
and use them to trigger a downpour of hope. Through mindfulness we become aware
of the beauty of lives inside us and are able to act in ways that enhance its
presence. This beauty is a bearer of the seeds of hope. With the seeds we sow a thriving garden in
the space that was once desolate.
Our life becomes a place that thrives through hope. Suspending
judgment we see the world with childlike eyes. Everything becomes filled with
wonder and awe. We tap into gratitude. Our wonder & awe and gratitude feed
the root of hope. We reframe our world from desolation to flourishing. Hope is
the power of transformation.
Through the eyes of hope, we are able to see what needs to be
changed to bring transformation. We may end a relationship or a professional
alliance. We may increase our physical activity or alter our diet. With courage
and curious daring, we make minute changes that have profound affects. Hope is the voice inside of us that encourages
us to never give up.
So hope — sometimes it may appear invisible; but, it is never truly
gone. It might take a lot of energy to visibly identify hope’s presence. But, when
our hope becomes visible, we gain the power of transformation as refill the reservoir
of our spirit drop by precious drop of hope.
Vanessa F. Hurst is Compassion Officer at Intent & Action. She is a Mindful Coach, Compassion
Consultant, Professional Speaker, and Author who interweaves her inner wisdom
in all she touches.
Her books are Engaging Compassion Through Intent & Action and A Constellation of Connections: Contemplative Relationships.
More from Vanessa: www.intentandaction.com
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