Word (and Lesson) for the Week

                Hi there!  I took a little more time than usual to study up on the chosen Word for the Week, and that is Hope.

                We can “hope we make it in time,” “hope we pass the exam,” or “I certainly hope so…”  But the way I have been seeing it is not just as a wish, but as a virtue to be practiced.  It can push us through the hardest times, when maybe hope seems to disintegrate and decrease the possibilities in life.

                From my own experience, I have to push for hope, regarding my recovery from depression.  I am still set on that it would “certainly be nice if I could overcome this!”  And that is where I choose to hope, despite any lack of hope I might have.

                Brene Brown, an expert on the topics of vulnerability and shame, says in the midst of many examples in an article, that “Hope is a function of struggle.  People with the highest hopefulness have the knowledge that they can move through adversity.”  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jul/27/brene-brown-people-sick-being-afraid)  This takes lots of courage, which is also a shift in the face of the vulnerability she speaks of.

                There are plenty of occasions where all I can do is hope despite all the feelings of hopelessness.  That is why it is so important to reflect on and have a plan to practice Hope.