Category Archives: hope

Jan14

fifteen minutes.

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  When America Joined Hands: The Day Hope Stretched Coast to Coast

hands across america

who remembers this?

i do, and it was pretty darn cool

—

On May 25, 1986, something truly remarkable unfolded across the United States. More than six million people from every walk of life joined hands, forming a single human chain stretching from New York City all the way to Long Beach, California.

The event, known as Hands Across America, transformed strangers into neighbors and made hope visible. While celebrities like Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie helped shine a spotlight on the cause, the real power came from everyday people—parents and children, workers and students—standing side by side with a shared commitment to fight hunger and homelessness.

For fifteen unforgettable minutes, a living ribbon of humanity crossed cities, deserts, farmland, and rivers, proving that even in a vast and diverse nation, unity is possible.

The effort raised millions for food banks and housing programs, but its greatest legacy wasn’t financial. It was the message it left behind—a reminder that when we reach out and join hands, literally or figuratively, we can create something far greater than ourselves.

And perhaps now more than ever, it’s time to reach out again.

—

‘when we know ourselves to be connected to all others, 

acting compassionately is simply the natural thing to do.’

-rachel naomi remen

—

source/photo credit: earth geographic

May28

hope is like a road.

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‘hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road,

but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.’

*lin yutang

 

* Lin Yutang( 1895-1976) was a Chinese inventor, linguist, novelist, philosopher, and translator.

May13

‘to love beauty is to see light.’- victor hugo

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a couple of grandsons and i

drove to the highest point in the city

snuck onto a golf course

at dusk

on a quest to see the aurora

under a crescent moon

star- sprinkled sky

we waited,

and waited,

and waited

and waited

my photo-wise grandie

set up a long exposure shot

 his camera captured the beauty

better than our eyes could

how lucky and lovely 

and

we did not get arrested for trespassing.

—

‘hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
-desmond tutu

 

Apr13

with feathers.

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i’ve had a feathered visitor

a robin

courting me for the last two days

 wonder what he wants to tell me?

will he return today?

hope that i’m home if he calls.

—

* robin symbolism means different things in different cultures and the message robin brings has different meanings at different times. A robin brings hope, renewal, and rebirth. Robin symbolizes new beginnings, new projects, and a sign of good things to come. – bring it.

—

“hope” is the thing with feathers –
that perches in the soul –
and sings the tune without the words –
and never stops – at all –
-emily dickinson

 

Dec29

hope is a decision.

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hope tree, karin zeller

 

———

buddhist philosopher daisaku ikeda wrote this insightful look at the nature of happiness in his essay collection, “Hope Is a Decision.” ikeda spent 50 years writing the essays in the book. they all relate in some form to the nature of hope, and how we can take it upon ourselves to maintain it, even during tumultuous times. consider it a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you choose to be hopeful, you will be. just like if you choose to try and make others happy, it will increase your own happiness. and, as ikeda also notes in his essay, those choices will “illuminate our final years with dignity.”

Nov7

welcome november.

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WELCOME NOVEMBER…

There is something about November that says ‘keep going’.

We are not quite through the year, yet the finish-line looms.

We are plunged into darkness by Mother Nature.

We are faced with the ‘season of joy’,

and yet many of us wonder where we will find it.

And I think November is a great time to take a little peek behind you,

and see just how much you’ve done.

To take stock of your achievements, your endurance,

your survival.

To rest, reinforce, before the festivities envelope us all.

Before beautiful new beginnings.

And most importantly, November is a time to seek out light.

As the natural order darkens, we must find it ourselves.

We must do whatever we can to brighten our day,

our home, the world.

Seek out light wherever you can my friends,

and pay no heed to those who condemn your sparkle.

You are much-needed.

Keep showing up, in that special way only you can do.

And show up for yourself too

(which can sometimes mean not showing up at all).

This year has been hard.

Again.

But beautiful.

Again.

As is the way of life.

As is the way of life.

-Donna Ashworth

 

 

—

art credit: arthur rackham, british children’s literature illustrator, fall fairies from peter pan, 1906

Sep18

brightest.

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“despite knowing they won’t be here for long, they still choose to live their brightest lives – sunflowers.”

-rupi kaur

Mar9

great expectations.

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(united airlines 1st class – 747 flight in the 70s)

—

after booking an upcoming flight

i may have a few misplaced hopes and expectations

that this will be my experience in the air

—

“let your dreams outgrow the shoes of your expectations.”

-ryunosuke satoro

Aug20

hope is the feeling.

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art credit: the hope tree, by ashvin harrison

—

she looked older, tired, worn down, but trying

dark eyeliner, hair an unnatural black, a gold barrette

standing at the register

waiting as i approached

buying paper for an art project

noticing colors and prints on the papers

she pointed at them, saying:

“if you mix this blue with this flowered print, it looks exactly like the inside of the locket that i had when i was a little girl. it was shaped like a heart, my mother gave it to me, it had both of our pictures in it. is was really something. it didn’t make it through the fire though. i think someone came and took it after that happened. they didn’t know how important it was. i’ve had my dreams squashed before, but i still have hope.”

she shared all of that with me, a random stranger, in a 2 minute encounter. something about her was achingly sad, yet i also felt admiration for her refusal to surrender to a life that may have never been easy, still holding out hope for a better day, yet to come. amazing person.

—

“hope is the feeling we have that the feeling we have is not permanent.”

 -mignon mclaughlin

Jun13

good and plenty.

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“let’s just have a nice coffee and maybe a little breakfast”

well….

 

 

—

“hope makes a good breakfast. eat plenty of it.”

-ian fleming