Hope
Such a small word — two consonants, two vowels, one syllable.
Yet, it speaks volumes in a quiet way.
How can so little a word say so much?
Merriam Webster says hope is a desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.
When reflecting on life’s twists and turns, Hope often does not appear as it seems. Plans change; the current of the river leads onto another course.
But all is not lost when you have Hope.
Perhaps the most important change is within oneself. (And so, this opportunity to write for the Tribune comes to me.)
So, I write to encourage others because of my experiences. And I begin with the word Hope — a word that began to speak to me early this year. And it continued to recur in the oddest places and times; in jewelry given to me by a friend or a word spoken between friends. And so it resounds with me, and perhaps it resounds with you, too.
Maybe it was the future plans you made that have now changed. Circumstances change. Illnesses and accidents happen with delays or even life-long interruptions. But Hope does not diminish or fall away unless you allow it to … . You must just listen to your heart and be flexible enough to change your plans for a greater and more prosperous plan in the making.
Perhaps life and the lessons I have learned, and I am still learning, may encourage you. So as I write, may my words speak to you as you follow the peculiar path of life, as odd as a stream as it moves onward, steadily eroding its banks as it goes.
May these words speak to the tired, who see no Hope, but perhaps have not looked close enough at the circumstances they now face. And to the young who have loved but not found love in return. Or perhaps to that single parent facing life’s challenges that seem so overwhelming.
May Hope rise like the morning sun in a new way over your life by a word fitly spoken: Hope
Liz Castle
