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.
