Hollow Hope

Remember when it was easy to believe?

Prefer to listen? Click play on the audio track above to hear SVB read you these words.

And don’t forget your Reflection Points at the end.

“As if extinguishing a fire, despair has a way of rendering us powerless, of tricking us into thinking we aren’t active participants in the lives we lead.”

TRUE CONFESSION: I have a pretty toxic relationship with the word hope.

So much so, that on more than one occasion, I have referred to it as a dirty 4-letter word.

And while that might sound aggressive, my reasoning is sound: For decades, I’ve listened to others talk about their deepest desires and things they want to achieve, all prefaced by what I feel is a disclaimer.

Because what I want to say, ideally while putting my hands on their shoulders and shaking, is want it more than hope.

Hope, to me, has always been wishy-washy. It literally leaves room for the chance that things won’t go the way you desire. And while that may be true – nothing is guaranteed – I’ve learned time and time again that if you truly want something to happen, you must believe in the depths of your core that it is possible.

No ifs or maybes, and definitely more than hope.

But lately, I’ve been thinking about the lack of hope people are experiencing.