I recall hearing the title to President Obama’s second book, The Audacity of Hope, and thinking that it was a peculiar title for a book. I did not quite understand the juxtaposition of the two words “audacity” and “hope.” I had always viewed hope as somewhat of a passive force; some form of longing or desiring that was only a slight grade above fantasizing. But, as the old folks say, I kept living. And as I continued on in this journey of life, I began to comprehend and appreciate the nature of hope as more than wishful thinking. My journey has taught me that hope indeed is one of the most audacious of human capabilities. To be hopeful is to live life courageously, and to live a life without hope is to perhaps live the most passive life of all.
Reaching this understanding has not been an easy venture for me. In fact, it has been the pain of disappointment that I have come to learn the courage of being hopeful. At the beginning of any goal or desire, we possess some form of hope that we will attain our desired outcome. This form of hope can be filled with excitement and trepidation, but is not quite as courageous as the hope that comes later when faced with adversity. At the beginning of any race we have the most energy, but what happens when your energy has run low and you are not sure you can complete the race? How do you remain hopeful when day after day you are faced with disappointment and do not perceive how you will achieve your desired end? In Proverbs 13:12 it declares that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick. . .” What do you do when you find your heart sick because of hope’s delay and you are not really sure that what you are hopeful for will happen? In other words, what do you do when being hopeful seems hopeless?
Herein lies the heart of what it means to truly hope. During these moments of hopelessness maintaining one’s hope often is the most courageous stance one can take. It takes courage to face each day believing that despite what happened the day before, week before or year before, you will retain hope for a better outcome for today. Being hopeful means doing the hard work of facing your fears of disappointment, emotional turmoil, being embarrassed, or whatever concerns you. Sometimes life can beat us up so badly that you want to throw in the towel, but hope will not let us quit; it has the audacity to believe that something better exists for us.
So, what do you do when hope seems hopeless? You maintain hope anyway. You hold the line and continue to believe that something better can exists if we continue to hope and do the hard work of fighting for what we hope for. This past week I had the great fortune of touring southern cities that were significant in African American history. I learned and re-learned about the courageous figures from the civil rights movement, people like Ella Baker and Dr. King. They were people who lived the courageous life of hope. They believed that despite the atrocities they saw and experienced in their country, it could become a better place. They truly existed in a period when hope seemed hopeless. Although many died before seeing their desired goal, their hope paved the way for a better tomorrow for many others. Likewise, whatever you are hoping for today, do not lose courage. Continue to believe in a better tomorrow; not just for you but for others who will come behind you.
–Until Next Time–
Palooke
