Creating Space…For Hope (2021 edition)
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“like a lotus flower we too have the ability to rise from the mud, bloom out Of darkness, and radiate into the world” ~ unknown
"Hope, it is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous," President Snow, The Hunger Games.
I never in my life thought I would be quoting President Snow. But here we are. My husband and I just spent the last couple weeks rewatching the series. Well, to be clear, I was rewatching. He was basically watching it for the first time as he totally dismissed it was first released. We both agreed it was totally worth the revisit. But I digress. President Snow’s quote hit me so hard. What better time than now to be reminded of the power of hope? After the year we had, what better way to fortify our spirit? And as we collectively face the significant work left in front of us, how can we not arm ourselves with it?
Originally published July 18,2020
There is nothing ordinary about the times we are all in. We’ve spent what feels like all of 2020 facing a pandemic, and I swear sometimes it feels like we’ve been within it’s grips for years rather than months. Add to that the growing awareness that we as a country are not okay. I believe, I hope, I feel - that the racial disparity that we face in this country has finally reached a breaking point. The awareness is not new to the Black community. Racial discrimination has reared its ugly head for hundreds of years. More overtly, it was dressed as slavery, but it is also disguised in economic and educational disparity, healthcare and housing discrimination, criminal justice inequality, and I could go on. I believe what is different now is that (most of) the rest of the country is really starting to get it too. So what does that mean? It means that more than likely you aren’t feeling “ok”. You may be confused, angry, saddened, exhausted, and all this infused with our emotional desire to feel grateful, caring, encouraged, and at peace. So where does that leave us? I believe it leaves us seeking HOPE. I don’t mean the passive belief that “if I close my eyes and make a wish this will all be over.” I mean the kind of hope that gives you the strength to get out of bed and face another day because you believe in your heart there’s something worth fighting for.
So, that said, today I was inspired to pull together some powerful quotes that I believe can help infuse a little hope in us all. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed by the injustice in America, exhausted from the battle of COVID, or simply fighting for your own inner peace due to depression, anxiety or something entirely different, there’s something in this post for everyone.
“I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.”
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do...keep moving forward. ”
I believe that within that calm lies the power to persevere
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. ”
I’m sending you love, light, HOPE, and persistent strength.
Namaste,
Tian
