Hope is a Must

Little sparks of hope lie everywhere. You just have to embrace a hopeful mindset and look for these sparks. It is all about your mindset.

Think about your eyes when in the dark. When light comes on, it takes some time for your eyes to adjust to the light because you were so used to seeing the dark. On the other hand, when you are in the light and then the light goes away, it takes some time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness because you were used to seeing the light. (This example of light and dark is shown in Plato's Allegory of the Cave.) This shows how what or who you are surrounded by impacts you. Choose what and who surrounds you wisely. If you live in the dark - this darkness could be pessimism, hate, greed, jealousy, fear, etc. - you will most likely see the dark as impossible to escape, not worth escaping, tolerable, okay, or even good. The light will probably scare you because change usually scares people. Furthermore, you may choose to stay in the darkness for fear of change. However, if you live in the light - hope, love, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, courage, etc. - you will see the light as beautiful yet challenging. You will not want to turn off the light and live in darkness because those who live in the light have experienced darkness and have had their eyes opened. Darkness clouds your vision while true light opens your eyes. The light is the most beneficial to you, but you need to recognize and understand both the light and the dark. You may ask, "Why?"

Well... without the dark, the light wouldn't be so amazing. Think about a time where you felt a strong negative emotion like great grief, anger, etc. Maybe it was caused by a loss of a loved one, someone cheated or hurt you somehow, etc. Did you try to look for any positive of the situation? If you did, great! If you didn't, try to next time. Many beautiful things can come out of a negative place. For example, if you lost a loved one, the community and bonds you form with others around you, like family and friends, can uplift you and help you to be hopeful. Also, a loss can propel you to honoring that person with the actions you take each and every day. Moreover, you could dedicate your accomplishments to that loved one you lost. This not only honors the person you lost, but it also brings meaning, fulfillment, and even joy to your life. Another example of something amazing coming from a rough patch is if you lose your job. Some positives that can come from that situation is community, a better future job, and development of your virtues (like patience, gratitude, humility, etc.) An important theme explained in "The Consolation of Philosophy" by Boethius is the idea of when tough times happen and fortune is not in your favor, you are being tested and can gain a virtue/virtues or develop in them.

Think about it... Life is really about your perspective you take in different situations. There are multiple quotes on this. For example, the quote by Marcus Aurelius --> "Our life is what our thoughts make it." If you continually think of and dwell on the negative in situations you will probably be full of despair. However, if you recognize the negatives of the situation AND the positive AND focus on the positives (while constructing a plan to work through the negatives), you will be setting yourself up for a better and more enjoyable life. You have a choice whether you live your life in misery or not. External factors are something you can't control, but you can control your response to them (the stoics talk a lot about this). Choose to be joyful instead of miserable and spread this joy to others.

Back to the light and the dark... The beautiful thing about the light is it can exist in any place, even the most negative and darkest places. Hope is a type of light. It can be used to light up the void in your heart and the void in others' hearts.

Hope is a powerful thing. It is like a fire. Fire starts with a spark, but can spread and turn into something bigger and much more powerful than the spark once was. Hope has the potential of changing people's lives. A singular spark of hope can help someone start living instead of surviving. It takes courage and strength to look for hope because it is easier to complain and give up.

Recognize the good and the bad, but choose to focus on the good. Be courageous and strong! Choose hope!