A Reader's View of Hope

From Marian:

I love the words ripple effect of, not just hope but, practiced hope. At tea recently, a friend offered as her answer to "well what are you doing to solve the problems of the world" that she and her husband have decided that there will be peace in the Feinstein household. "If we can achieve peace at home then peace is possible for the rest of humanity," she said. It's true, no matter how tough the job is that we have to do, the story that we tell about its doing is the reality.

The word, the idea of, hope has come up in the public conversation lately. Interesting that analogous words for hope include 'expectation' and 'yearning' as well as 'trust,' and 'rely.' Hope in the form of trust allows a willingness to open up the categories that have demanded judgments and restrictions. That hope allows listening and hearing the part of the story that connects rather than separates. I'm all for hope and reminders to practice are greatly appreciated. I look forward to your posts. A poem that I wrote about hope:

By Virtue Of Picking Fruit

Hope is the weight of the ladder
the vigor of the timber
the angle of the ground
understanding the bold unequivocal thorns.

Bright orange orbs dangle behind these green leather leaves
and fall at first touch into the bold woven bag.
A flower touches my face,
firm adolescent purple, not at all ineffable.

Hope is this orange tree quenching a cold thirst, its bittersweetness nourishing, reminding to do no harm,
comfort in the necessary space
between the hard work of faith and charity.
(4/06)