Walking Together With Hope

It’s been a wonderful year.  “Ohana” connections in Hawaii with Terry’s family and the Olson family in Iowa.  Laughter. Grandchildren. Storybooks. Sticker books.  Good food. Travels. Theater. Writing. Wine.  Blog – “G’amma Gazing’”. Reading great books. Croquet. Coffee with friends. Leading workshops. NAMI. The ocean. Colorado mountains.  Open sky above the plains.

And at the very same time, it has been a challenging year.  The earth is facing radical change with raging floods, devouring droughts, plastic in the sea, bomb cyclones, forest destruction, polluted air, and toxins in the water. People and friends are polarized, pointing fingers in blame, finding safety within enclosed circles of common perspectives.  Hatred toward those who appear different grows deeper.  Violent words and actions erupt among us.  Hope crumbles through my fingers.

Within this push and pull, my privilege protects me, numbs me. Even blinds me at times.  When challenge breaks in, I wonder about hope. It loses its footing within me.  Where is life and love and light?  Where is the compassionate voice of God?  

At the end of this year, I realized yet again, just how much I need others to help me see when I don’t see beyond my fears.  I began asking my family for help.  “Where do you see hope?” I wondered.  Their responses include:

• My friendships. My church. The organizing work I’ve done.
• My children – their curiosity and freedom, big feelings and love they have for each other.
• People who walk with me through the hard stuff.
• In my zinnias and the big old trees in our neighborhood.
• In people not willing to give up.
• In playing – a tool for building something new and growing connections.
• Singing.
• Those politicians who fight for what’s right even in the face of reprehensible opposition from other politicians.
• People who boldly stand for justice against the odds that are against them.
• The flight of birds. The playfulness of dogs. The rising of the sun each morning.
• The many who work with projects making a difference for others – clean water, education, empowerment of women.  
• Students’ questions, creativity, passion, and thinking.

With each response, I realized hope is discovered together.  I need to see what others see.  I need to know what others know.  I need to hear what others hear.  Their wisdom ignites my own instincts. Their insights grow to feed my own. Together with other’s strengths, I find the courage to walk forward into the future. God’s hope is revealed through and with other people.

So, this during this Christmas time, I wonder:

As hope is lived together, we become pieces of the incarnate presence of Divine Love.

As hope is embodied together, we carry glimpses of Light into the darkness.

As hope is shared together, we reveal fragments of courage beyond despair.

As hope is proclaimed together,

 we become Christmas.