When I can find peace in nature.
Observe, looking into the distance and see: everything is still there.
Everything is growing and thriving.
My reminder: It’s not about me.
That knowing to the bones that light is always there, only perception is blurred. To remember being grateful opens the door to perceiving light again and connection with all, almost instantly this could change the dark to gray at least, possibly moving to bright light even. Hope and faith and trust are nourished by taking the inner position of gratefulness, it softens the heart and opens up where dark was shutting down access to joy and aliveness. I am deeply grateful for having experienced, and understood deeply the magic of being grateful. With a bow to you all, may you all have a good night´s sleep and wake up to a beautiful new morning. Blessings.
I’m never alone in darkness. There are many people in this universe, some whom I know and others whom I don’t. We all have our own times of darkness. They stay hopeful, I hope, all of us hope, and pray.
My natural optimism helps, along with taking things one day at a time knowing that everything passes or shifts with time. Days that seemed dark and horrible at the time are barely a dim memory now, and only if I go fishing for them, so I know that I can get through the next thing. What I do will make a difference either to me or to someone else. As it says in the Desiderata, “no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.”
Rebecca Solnit’s book Hope in the Dark reinforced my natural tendencies and I’ve read more of her writing. She’s really wonderful on this subject. I’ve been collecting quotations and poems on this topic for a while now, so I’ll share a few items.
Look, you might as well know, this thing
is going to take endless repair: rubber bands,
crazy glue, tapioca, the square of the hypotenuse.
Nineteenth century novels. Heartstrings, sunrise:
all of these are useful. Also, feathers.
To keep it humming, sometimes you have to stand
on an incline, where everything looks possible;
on the line you drew yourself. Or in
the grocery line, making faces at a toddler
secretly, over his mother’s shoulder.
You might have to pop the clutch and run
past all the evidence. Past everyone who is
laughing or praying for you. Definitely you don’t
want to go directly to jail, but still, here you go,
passing time, passing strange. Don’t pass this up.
In the worst of times, you will have to pass it off.
Park it and fly by the seat of your pants. With nothing
in the bank, you’ll still want to take the express.
Tiptoe past the dogs of the apocalypse that are sleeping
in the shade of your future. Pay at the window.
Pass your hope like a bad check.
You might still have just enough time. To make a deposit.
“Hope locates itself in the premises that we don’t know what will happen and that in the spaciousness of uncertainty is room to act. When you recognize uncertainty, you recognize that you may be able to influence the outcomes — you alone or you in concert with a few dozen or several million others. Hope is an embrace of the unknown and the unknowable, an alternative to the certainty of both optimists and pessimists. Optimists think it will all be fine without our involvement; pessimists take the opposite position; both excuse themselves from acting. It’s the belief that what we do matters even though how and when it may matter, who and what it may impact, are not things we can know beforehand. We may not, in fact, know them afterward either, but they matter all the same, and history is full of people whose influence was most powerful after they were gone.”
— Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”
— Howard Zinn, “The Optimism of Uncertainty” (2004)
“Life is bristling with thorns and I know no other remedy other than to cultivate one’s garden.” Voltaire
One of my mentors used to say, “There’s nothing more real than a relationship.” I will add that the most important relationship I have is the relationship I have with myself because it determines the quality and depth of the relationships I have with others.
What gives me hope? When my mind says “Give up!” I say “Give in…go with the flow!” For me that is hope.
Always prayer…. “And all will be well and all will be well”…”This too shall pass”… “I am well, I am whole, I am well”…..I believe in God a greater being than I am…and I have hope…hope that I will be well. And all of you here…you are all a part of my daily life. I feel I know you…I see your names with your posts and I get so happy…just knowing others share this sacred space. God Bless one and All.
This question reminds me of my McNally Smith College of Music days from 2013-2017. In my freshman year, I was coming off of getting dumped the 3rd time by the same Big Island woman. I was also applying for a couple scholarships as well. I was required to get at least a B.
There were still plenty of good people along the journey. The problem was that they’re either busy, or there were incompatibilities. Younger people, especially artists, have really busy schedules. Paw Mu not only did her best but went great lengths to try to guide me, but our styles were incompatible.
My English was good and I’ve always been high-functioning academically. My challenges at the time were low vision and mainly the personal aspects which is a big deal for artists. Art requires inspiration. I majored in keyboard performance and had a minor in songwriting. Fortunately, students were able to write whatever song they wanted for as long as the style aligned with whatever the professor wanted. I probably would have gotten a low score if I was required to write a song about love, romance, or anything that had to do with positivity at the time.
During that time, I learned to pull myself up from the bootstraps. There was no other choice. It was either sink or swim. I may not have been the most friendly and well-liked there but the ones who admired me did so on a deeper level. Afterall, I graduated McNally Smith College of Music in the spring of 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree majoring in keyboard performance with a minor in songwriting. I had no Cs along the way. Now, I have a stable career with a few part-time piano jobs.
Had I given in and gone with my nature, I probably would have dropped out and stayed home. This would lead to me being a burden on my family and problems worsen.
This is all reflective in the way I give Ngoc the attention I was missing during those times that I’ve climbed out of that darker place. I may be a mallenial on the surface, but from the inside, I feel more like the average gen xer who had to learn to harden up and pull themselves up from the bootstraps with minimal guidance.
“This too shall pass” keeps me going. I have been through so much in this lifetime and learnt a lot. Some days have been filled with so much joy I can still remember them and feel that joy. Other days filled with pain, both physical and mental, have left me feeling broken at the time but they have passed and my journey goes on.
Wow, Butterfly, You took the words out of my mouth. That is exactly what I was going to post. And the longer I live the more I appreciate the profundity of those words.
Each of you for one! When the weight of the world closes in, I often rely on past and present experiences for hope. I think of all the positive, smart, compassionate people who are in my life on a daily basis. That gives me hope. I stay connected to younger people in a variety of ways, they so often give me hope. I also think of how resilient we can be as a society, both locally and globally. And while I hang with like-minded folks most of the time, I also find hope in a conversation/experience with someone who thinks very differently than me. Honestly, that is a good part of my family. So the journey of hope is ongoing, while we are grounded in the present.
Hope springs eternal. I have heard. Humankind has been changing their environments since fire was first harnessed and rocks were sharpened. Things get bad, humans punt, and sometimes they get better. Think back to the Cuyahoga River in Ohio that caught fire in 1969, if you are old enough, if not look it up. The Nixon Administration began the EPA a bit after. Think of Greensburg Kansas, a town. that was wiped off the face of the planet in 2007 and then humans rebuilt. I am not sure what will become of our home, but I have hope human beings will someday get it as a collective.
My faith and to add to SunnyPatti’s post not only that darkness cannot exist without light but also knowing His plan will eventually unfold. In other words,”This too shall pass”.
Gratefulness gives me hope because it helps me see how blessed I am even when life is hard.
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When I can find peace in nature.
Observe, looking into the distance and see: everything is still there.
Everything is growing and thriving.
My reminder: It’s not about me.
My Faith, Halleluiah!
That knowing to the bones that light is always there, only perception is blurred. To remember being grateful opens the door to perceiving light again and connection with all, almost instantly this could change the dark to gray at least, possibly moving to bright light even. Hope and faith and trust are nourished by taking the inner position of gratefulness, it softens the heart and opens up where dark was shutting down access to joy and aliveness. I am deeply grateful for having experienced, and understood deeply the magic of being grateful. With a bow to you all, may you all have a good night´s sleep and wake up to a beautiful new morning. Blessings.
So beautifully stated O. Christina.
I’m never alone in darkness. There are many people in this universe, some whom I know and others whom I don’t. We all have our own times of darkness. They stay hopeful, I hope, all of us hope, and pray.
My Ngoc, it’s very easy to think that we’re alone. One thing for sure is that we have each other no matter what the weather.
My natural optimism helps, along with taking things one day at a time knowing that everything passes or shifts with time. Days that seemed dark and horrible at the time are barely a dim memory now, and only if I go fishing for them, so I know that I can get through the next thing. What I do will make a difference either to me or to someone else. As it says in the Desiderata, “no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.”
Rebecca Solnit’s book Hope in the Dark reinforced my natural tendencies and I’ve read more of her writing. She’s really wonderful on this subject. I’ve been collecting quotations and poems on this topic for a while now, so I’ll share a few items.
“Hope: An Owner’s Manual” by Barbara Kingsolver https://www.ayearofbeinghere.com/2014/03/barbara-kingsolver-hope-owners-manual.html
Look, you might as well know, this thing
is going to take endless repair: rubber bands,
crazy glue, tapioca, the square of the hypotenuse.
Nineteenth century novels. Heartstrings, sunrise:
all of these are useful. Also, feathers.
To keep it humming, sometimes you have to stand
on an incline, where everything looks possible;
on the line you drew yourself. Or in
the grocery line, making faces at a toddler
secretly, over his mother’s shoulder.
You might have to pop the clutch and run
past all the evidence. Past everyone who is
laughing or praying for you. Definitely you don’t
want to go directly to jail, but still, here you go,
passing time, passing strange. Don’t pass this up.
In the worst of times, you will have to pass it off.
Park it and fly by the seat of your pants. With nothing
in the bank, you’ll still want to take the express.
Tiptoe past the dogs of the apocalypse that are sleeping
in the shade of your future. Pay at the window.
Pass your hope like a bad check.
You might still have just enough time. To make a deposit.
“Hope locates itself in the premises that we don’t know what will happen and that in the spaciousness of uncertainty is room to act. When you recognize uncertainty, you recognize that you may be able to influence the outcomes — you alone or you in concert with a few dozen or several million others. Hope is an embrace of the unknown and the unknowable, an alternative to the certainty of both optimists and pessimists. Optimists think it will all be fine without our involvement; pessimists take the opposite position; both excuse themselves from acting. It’s the belief that what we do matters even though how and when it may matter, who and what it may impact, are not things we can know beforehand. We may not, in fact, know them afterward either, but they matter all the same, and history is full of people whose influence was most powerful after they were gone.”
— Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”
— Howard Zinn, “The Optimism of Uncertainty” (2004)
Barb C., on this Summer Solstice, you have no idea how timely you shared quotes are for me. Thank you.
You’re very welcome!
“The future is an infinite succession of presents………” I certainly like and appreciate this line, Barb. Thank you.
I’m glad I shared these since they meant something to you and others.
Trust in all that is holy.
“Life is bristling with thorns and I know no other remedy other than to cultivate one’s garden.” Voltaire
One of my mentors used to say, “There’s nothing more real than a relationship.” I will add that the most important relationship I have is the relationship I have with myself because it determines the quality and depth of the relationships I have with others.
What gives me hope? When my mind says “Give up!” I say “Give in…go with the flow!” For me that is hope.
Richard Rohr’s meditations this week are so powerful that I want to share the links with you.
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/only-the-beginning/
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-maturing-spirit/
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/resilience-requires-flexibility/uality/
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/choosing-to-face-our-pain/
Thank you Carol.
Always prayer…. “And all will be well and all will be well”…”This too shall pass”… “I am well, I am whole, I am well”…..I believe in God a greater being than I am…and I have hope…hope that I will be well. And all of you here…you are all a part of my daily life. I feel I know you…I see your names with your posts and I get so happy…just knowing others share this sacred space. God Bless one and All.
Me, too.
I feel same too, thanks Nannette:)
This is a sacred space, as you wrote, Nannette.
Nannette, Me, too!
Prayer
‘And This To Shall Pass’
Family/Friends
Random Acts of Kindness
This question reminds me of my McNally Smith College of Music days from 2013-2017. In my freshman year, I was coming off of getting dumped the 3rd time by the same Big Island woman. I was also applying for a couple scholarships as well. I was required to get at least a B.
There were still plenty of good people along the journey. The problem was that they’re either busy, or there were incompatibilities. Younger people, especially artists, have really busy schedules. Paw Mu not only did her best but went great lengths to try to guide me, but our styles were incompatible.
My English was good and I’ve always been high-functioning academically. My challenges at the time were low vision and mainly the personal aspects which is a big deal for artists. Art requires inspiration. I majored in keyboard performance and had a minor in songwriting. Fortunately, students were able to write whatever song they wanted for as long as the style aligned with whatever the professor wanted. I probably would have gotten a low score if I was required to write a song about love, romance, or anything that had to do with positivity at the time.
During that time, I learned to pull myself up from the bootstraps. There was no other choice. It was either sink or swim. I may not have been the most friendly and well-liked there but the ones who admired me did so on a deeper level. Afterall, I graduated McNally Smith College of Music in the spring of 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree majoring in keyboard performance with a minor in songwriting. I had no Cs along the way. Now, I have a stable career with a few part-time piano jobs.
Had I given in and gone with my nature, I probably would have dropped out and stayed home. This would lead to me being a burden on my family and problems worsen.
This is all reflective in the way I give Ngoc the attention I was missing during those times that I’ve climbed out of that darker place. I may be a mallenial on the surface, but from the inside, I feel more like the average gen xer who had to learn to harden up and pull themselves up from the bootstraps with minimal guidance.
“This too shall pass” keeps me going. I have been through so much in this lifetime and learnt a lot. Some days have been filled with so much joy I can still remember them and feel that joy. Other days filled with pain, both physical and mental, have left me feeling broken at the time but they have passed and my journey goes on.
Wow, Butterfly, You took the words out of my mouth. That is exactly what I was going to post. And the longer I live the more I appreciate the profundity of those words.
💖
Each of you for one! When the weight of the world closes in, I often rely on past and present experiences for hope. I think of all the positive, smart, compassionate people who are in my life on a daily basis. That gives me hope. I stay connected to younger people in a variety of ways, they so often give me hope. I also think of how resilient we can be as a society, both locally and globally. And while I hang with like-minded folks most of the time, I also find hope in a conversation/experience with someone who thinks very differently than me. Honestly, that is a good part of my family. So the journey of hope is ongoing, while we are grounded in the present.
Yes, grounded in the present
Hope springs eternal. I have heard. Humankind has been changing their environments since fire was first harnessed and rocks were sharpened. Things get bad, humans punt, and sometimes they get better. Think back to the Cuyahoga River in Ohio that caught fire in 1969, if you are old enough, if not look it up. The Nixon Administration began the EPA a bit after. Think of Greensburg Kansas, a town. that was wiped off the face of the planet in 2007 and then humans rebuilt. I am not sure what will become of our home, but I have hope human beings will someday get it as a collective.
My faith and to add to SunnyPatti’s post not only that darkness cannot exist without light but also knowing His plan will eventually unfold. In other words,”This too shall pass”.
Gratefulness gives me hope because it helps me see how blessed I am even when life is hard.
My faith and knowing that darkness cannot exist without light.