Lasting Words by Claire Willis

Author:Claire Willis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Green Writers Press
Published: 2013-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

—REVEREND DR. MARTIN

LUTHER KING, JR.

AN INVITATION TO REFLECT AND WRITE

“Hope is necessary in every condition.”

—SAMUEL JOHNSON

A gentle reminder: You don’t have to answer all the questions or do all the exercises. Simply choose one or two that resonates with you, work with it for a while, and then rest.

We have all have had different attitudes, experiences and relationship to the concept of hope.

• Are you a hopeful person? Does hope come easily to you? What beliefs do you hold about it? How do you respond to the idea of “reasonable hope”?

• What memories help you sustain a hopeful mindset? Did your children do something that showed you how strong they were? Did your partner complete a task you never imagined possible? Did a friend achieve something, defying great odds? Did your own behavior ever pleasantly surprise you?

• One way to cultivate reasonable hope is by creating a daily practice.

• Imagine starting your day with a hopeful heart.

• What are some reasonable hopes you might harbor right now?

• What might you hope for today?

• Looking beyond this day, what might you reasonably hope for while you are alive and after you have passed?

In writing about reasonable hopes, it is helpful to use short, positive phrases. Here are a few examples of hopes that members of a writing group I worked with shared:

• I hope my nurse knows how much I appreciate what she does for me.

• I hope my sister likes the scrapbook I made for her.

• I hope to die comfortably at home.

• I hope I will not die alone.

• I hope my letters to my children will help them remember me.

We are less lonely if we feel that other people are helping us hold onto our hopes.

• Are there people who are already playing this important role?

• Are there others you would like to ask?

• Would you be willing to consider writing them a letter?

Some common feelings that may accompany reasonable hope include skepticism, despair, doubt, lack of faith and fear. Unlike hope, which tends to be more black-and-white (i.e. you either have it or you don’t), reasonable hope is more gray and diffuse.

• Are there other feelings that arise for you around the idea of reasonable hope?

• What might they be?

• Are you still able to hold onto reasonable hope?

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