Hope, is there enough of it?

So, first I want to say thank you for taking the time to read my article. I realize that you could be doing a number of things other than consuming my content. I also want to thank you, because by participating, you are helping me fulfill my dream to share my message with others.           

            As I live my life, I am getting better at stopping to appreciate the small things that I may have over looked in previous years. I watch as birds fly by, I notice when flowers are growing, I acknowledge when people do nice things for me that they don’t have to do. I have also started to notice themes that seem to have consistent effects no matter what venue they are seen in.

            The theme that I have been most captivated by as of late, is the same theme that got my idle President Obama elected; Hope. It does not matter if hope is a major part in the plot of a film, or if hope is the theme of a song. Hope seems to strike a nerve in people that other things just don’t strike. For example, when I think about how money effects people, I realize that it can drive some pretty dramatic changes. If a person gets a large sum of money, they may acquire new habits, new friends, or new tastes that are very different when compared to the time before they had the money. They may go on “buying sprees” and lavish vacations. They might do a lot of wild things, but at the end of the day, the money has its limits. Money can only buy so much stuff, if, for no other reason than that there is only so much stuff for sale. Money can only bring so much happiness, because there are only so many things that can be bought to bring happiness. But, when I compare money to hope, the differences to me are astonishing.    

            I find hope absolutely fascinating because there are no limits to what can be achieved when a person has hope. When someone sees hope in their ability to pass a class, there is generally no limit to what they will do to pass that class. When a person sees hope in a relationship, there is generally no limit to what that person will do make that relationship work. When a person sees hope in a job, there is generally no limit to what that person will do for their employer. When a person sees hope in a cause, there is generally no limit to what a person will do for that cause. But what about when a person’s hope is shared with another person? First, the ones that have that type of ability are special people regardless of if they know it or not. Second, when you have a person that can inspire hope in other people, that person also has the ability to drive great change. So, are all people who have the ability to inspire hope given the same opportunities to inspire? The answer, unfortunately is No.

There is true power in the ability to inspire hope in people. It is for that reason that those who are in power work tirelessly to suppress the number of individuals that are able to give others hope. This effort increases dramatically when the hope has the possibility to inspire a change that could fundamentally change their way of life. The easiest example of this concept is the constant barrage of negativity that President Obama faced while in office. His election was a huge deal, but his success could fundamentally change the American population’s view on what the president should look like. So, did he only face the negativity because he was now the leader of a nation, and the opposing party had lost? I’ll have to go out on a limb and say No, maybe even Hell No. Well, was it that he was a black man that was now leading a nation that was brought to power on the backs of slaves? Now, I think we are on to something. Unfortunately, while I want to simply say yes, him being in office meant so much more.  His election evoked a lot of fear but evoked just as much hope. This hope empowered so many people to start having hope that they could be the best, be on top, and all while being unapologetically different. People of color no longer feel that they should have limits to what they can do. Gone are the days of believing that vice-president is good enough, that vice chair will suffice. Gone are the days that the house of representatives is seen as the pinnacle of success. Gone are the days of mental limits for people of color, and just think this change is all powered by a little hope. You gotta love the power of hope.