Words to Live By

I have always loved words. There are so many positive quotations or cliches that I have committed to memory, and I collect so many others. Even pondering a simple word can change my course.

Several friends gave me journals when I left Southern California. They know that I think alot and like to record some of those thoughts. One of the journals was labeled "hope" which happens to be one of my favorite words, so I decided to write on individual words in that journal starting with hope. Since then I have written down 52 words to write journal entries or blogs about. These are words I like to live by, starting with hope.

I think "hope" has become my favorite word in the English language. In Spanish "esperanza" is hope and it is a beautiful word too. Hope might be the difference between moving forward through trials and challenges, and sinking into the quicksand of despair. Those who have hope might be described as optimists, and those who live in regret and despair as pessimists.

I imagine God sending our little spirits down with certain gifts or talents. How lucky is the little spirit who receives the gift of "hope" already installed as a standard item. It can always be added as an optional feature of spirituality even if it wasn't standard equipment entering earth life. As with most traits we want to acquire, a spirit of hope can be developed.

If you are looking at life as "Poor me. Why do the bad things always happen to me?" That that is what you'll find. If you are determined to look forward "with a perfect brightness of hope" that is what you will find.

God doesn't give us trials--life does. Satan makes them bigger and badder if we let him. God gives us hope and help if we just ask Him. I've read alot of scriptures and quotations on hope and they all indicate hope comes from God. So really, all we need to do is open our hearts, and our despair, frustration, grin thoughts can turn to hope. Hope for a path to take, for a rainbow in our lives, for gratitude, for love, knowledge, even joy.

In my own trials I found that I was given the gift of hope, and yes I am an optimist. It's not always a popular attitude in a very sad world. People think there is something terribly wrong when things are tough and you aren't angry and you don't groan enough. There is always sadness and grieving, but that is a different thing than giving into it, or giving up. I began to think there was something wrong with me, so I tried to find those attributes of unhappiness--crazy!! That did make me unhappy. Then I realized the tremendous difference in hope which I saw as looking forward and upward, and in regret which involves looking backward and downward.

Even in momentary times of despair, we can embrace hope for a better tomorrow.