Recently I saw the face of hope.  Hope changes everything.  It is the spark plug that moves us from “wishful thinking” to enthusiastic action.  Hope is the juice of creativity.  It brings with it an enormous energy that pushes through the toughest barriers.  It brings us a certainty of success.  The goal is ours for the reaching.

So what does hope look like?  It’s the little girl in the photo above introducing us to new baby chicks beginning their lives.  It is the sparkle in the eyes of those who know hope.  We feel the excitement of their words.  We notice their purposeful movements as new possibilities come alive.  There is an urgency to get started, to make new commitments.  They wear a big smile as they anticipate the thrill of claiming their joy.  And it spreads to others quickly – we too feel hopeful about our own lives!

I used to think that hope was equivalent to a “pipe dream”, not based in the real world.  It was more like a lost cause, separate from physical reality, and useless as a way to conduct my life.  In fact, I am just realizing that this point of view was about hopelessness rather than hope. 

True hope propels us to action.  It brings with it excitement, determination, and the muscle to move through our own limitations.  Through hope, we own the right to create our own life, and take full charge of it.  Now we are steering our own ship. 

Hope may be easier to access in our youth, when life is new and fresh, and time feels abundant.  After a lifetime inevitably filled with many disappointments and losses, we may need to be reminded to tap into the natural flow of hope. 

Been There, Done That. What's Next?

Last week I hosted a young couple who had completed their first set of goals for their marriage – children, food, shelter, job.  They were ready to create new goals for the next few years that went beyond these basic needs.  They wanted to feel excited about life again, looking to exceed their own expectations that were inherited from their culture and their families. 

Living in a quiet apartment with two adorable little girls ages 2 and 5, Mom has a good nursing job while Dad watches the girls and explores his new passions for cooking and computer technology.  Looking over the last six years, they appreciate how far they have come as partners, parents, and community participants.  Life today for them is the result of much hard work, sacrifice, mistakes, and successes.  They reflect that life is good!

Yet they are not satisfied.  Experiencing in their travels that there is more, they are determined to discover how to grow into these new possibilities.   By asking questions and finding role models, seeking out resources, and learning more about the larger world around them, they are finding their way.  Believing that what they want is possible, hope is bringing them into that vision with determination and certainty.  I am eager to watch them achieve their next dream. 

Engaging Hope to Expand Our Lives

What are our next steps?  How do we learn where we can go from here?  How do we reach beyond what we already know to something greater?  Thanks to this young couple, I am asking these questions now for myself, from my own perspective, and offer you a reminder to reinvite hope into your life.

My vision is indeed to build a Radiant Soul Salon, where everyone who enters begins to glow with the inner joy of Spirit.  I am starting to deliberately notice the radiant souls around me, as well as souls hiding in their own shadow.  I look within myself to see what dampens my light and what makes me shine.  Asking more questions, my curiosity about the delightful experiences around me refreshes my soul.  And when I discover my passion has been touched, suddenly I care.  I find an inner strength to take action with that passion that shouts “YES” in a sudden moment of recognition.  Here the possible is born, and hope lives. 

Next week I’ll share with you thoughts about the practical side of Hope.  How do we live with hope?  What do we gain?  Is hope in our genetic makeup?  Can we live without it?

I would love to hear from you, and invite you to add comments below on the Blog page of my website.  

Have a great week!