-tanner olson
Mar11
i hope.
-tanner olson
Tag Archives: hope
Jan14
fifteen minutes.
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
Jun16
generations.
for those who came out
in support of our march
big, little,
and in between
the spirit is strong
across the generations
passed on from one to the other.
—
‘the future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.’
*pierre teilhard de chardin
*Pierre was a French Jesuit, Catholic priest, scientist, palaeontologist, theologian, and teacher. He was Darwinian, progressive in outlook and the author of several influential theological and philosophical books
—
Ann Arbor, MI, USA, July 2025
May28
hope is like a road.
‘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.
Dec1
mrs. ticklefeather is missing.
this is a reblog, as this book arrived and was promptly lost
at the detroit post office 3 years ago, and i’m hoping maybe it will arrive this year!
—
as a collector of the classic golden books
i am endlessly fascinated
by their history, artwork, authors, short tales, and backstories
i finally found and ordered one i’d been looking for
“lucky mrs. ticklefeather”
which seems to have quickly made it’s way through multiple cities
only to land in detroit a few weeks ago
where is has remained
stuck in an ‘in transit’ status
ever since its arrival.
will *mrs. ticklefeather ever be found?
is she still considered lucky?
is there a rival golden book collector near me
looking for the same book?
does paul her pet puffin, have anything to do with this?
it remains to be seen and i remain hopeful
this story isn’t over yet.
—
*Book summary – Rare ~~ Mrs. Ticklefeather was a very thin old lady with a good sized feather in her hat, and on her feet she had tall black shoes with plenty of buttons. She lived on the top floor of a terribly high building because the top floor is the best place for getting sunshine, and, Oh, what a good thing sunshine is for thin old ladies. When her pet puffin, Paul, goes missing, the elderly Mrs. Ticklefeather becomes very upset, but the next day Paul returns and brings with him a special gift that brings her great and unexpected happiness. Great illustrations in mid- century yet modern style.
—
“hope is the last thing ever lost.”
italian proverb
May13
‘to love beauty is to see light.’- victor hugo
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.
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.
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.”
Sep18
brightest.
“despite knowing they won’t be here for long, they still choose to live their brightest lives – sunflowers.”
-rupi kaur
Jun13
good and plenty.
“let’s just have a nice coffee and maybe a little breakfast”
well….
—
“hope makes a good breakfast. eat plenty of it.”
-ian fleming
I didn't have my glasses on.... 