Ed Markey wrote, “Hope is that the most vital four-letter Anglo-Saxon word within the language.”
And yet, Franklin wrote, “He that lives upon hope will die fasting.”
I started brooding about the facility of “hope” last week, once I noticed that a bunch of flyers had been posted round the gym by one among our personal trainers. They promised that if you joined her program, you’ll go down up to four dress sizes and lose up to 40 pounds. Notice the words “up to.”
Now, as a licensed fitness instructor, I feel that if her promises are true she is doing or providing a program that’s actually injurious. However, I realize that she is really offering “hope” – not truth. And, that the great part is that she may give clients enough “hope” that they’re going to take the actions which will cause smaller sizes and fewer pounds.
And, isn’t it “hope” that sells us on most of the purchases we make? We “hope” that a particular product or service will solve our problem(s). We “hope” that they’re going to make us more attractive, will get us there faster, will make us smarter, or richer, or more respected – you choose it.
Let me remind you, however, that there are stipulations that accompany “Hope.” even as Franklin hinted, “hope” is simply not enough. Yes, I feel strongly that we’d like it, but I also know that just hoping that something will occur won’t accomplish it.
Webster’s Dictionary defines hope as, “desire amid expectation of or belief in fulfillment; expectation of fulfillment or success; to cherish a desire with anticipation.”
As always, I looked for quotations about “hope.” Some were quite positive and hopeful, while others provided food for thought. Following are only alittle number of those I found:
On a positive note:
Woodrow Wilson stated, “You aren’t here merely to form a living. you’re here so as to enable the planet to measure more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. you’re here to complement the planet , and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
Terence spoke with great wisdom when he said, “You believe easily that which you hope for earnestly.”
I love the subsequent by Jacques Yves Cousteau, “If we were logical, the longer term would be bleak, indeed. But we are quite logical. We are citizenry , and that we have faith, and that we have hope, and that we can work.”
Samuel Smiles helps us smile with, “Hope… is that the companion of power, and therefore the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles.”
And a touch of questioning:
Gloria Steinem uses the subsequent description, “Hope may be a very unruly emotion.”
While Epictetus warns, “Neither should a ship believe one small anchor, nor should life rest on one hope.”
And, Norman Cousins said, “Hope is independent of the apparatus of logic.”
Malcolm Forbes reminds us, “When things are bad, we take comfort within the thought that they might always worsen . And once they are, we discover hope within the thought that things are so bad they need to urge better.” How true!
So, what does one think and feel about hope? What does one hope for?
