The Existence Of Hope

hope,


living with hope is like living

one

day

at

a

time

hope,

it's like waiting for brand new things to happen,

things untouched, unseen, unimagined

hope,

it puts faith into use

hope,

it helps us accept reality, so we can move toward a different one

hope,

is living open ended, not close minded

realizing there is beauty in

what could be; not shutting down in fear,

it's reaching out to the possibility

and pondering something new when the current has failed

or brought us disappointment

hope,

it's not getting tangled up or choking over concerns

it's facing them as a sojourner and exploring them with new eyes

hope,

it's an ever finding new found freedom

I wrote this poem several years ago when I was really struggling and going through pivotal life changes. It's helped me a lot, as writing anything usually does. I wanted to share it today, because I'm closing in on my daughter's second to last year of school, {she'll be a Senior in the Fall}, and recently and in the next few years, there will be so many changes for me. I will be an "empty-nester" at the age of 39; that's so hard to believe for me! Crazy.

I will be needing to sort of find a new lifestyle in a sense, but more about that when the time comes, because I don't want to rush it in any way! But when I write, especially poetry, it helps put things into perspective and I'm able to pray over the poems, and they are fast, simple lifestyle, spiritual reminders. I mean we are so empty without hope, and I don't think we remember that enough.


How often are we left feeling unfulfilled, or disappointed, or sad, or frustrated, or out of control, or stunned, or scared, or crippled by fear? How often do we feel defeated, overwhelmed, and anxious? How often do we feel tired, wore out, and lifeless? How often do we feel overcome, helpless, and despair? That is what hope is for! So no matter what you are going through--you still have hope, no one can take that away from you. You are never without hope no matter what. Hope is boundless and endless and abundant!

source

Here are a few things Thomas Merton says about hope that I've been reading this past week:


-We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope.
For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively
in human and visible means, nor rests in any visible end. 


-Hope is proportionate to detachment. It brings our souls
into the state of the most perfect detachment. {This one was tough for me to get at first, but think about it, it will come to you if it hasn't already, BRILLIANT!}


-Hope casts us into the arms of God's mercy and providence.


-Nothing created is of any ultimate use without hope. Oh the possibilities!

Taken in NE Minneapolis/April

Oh, P.S. check out my new little video made from a new app my husband has on his phone-it's so cute! I made two this weekend. Well, ok, here is the other one while we're at it! I hope you enjoy them!