What Does Hope Look Like?
I’m not quite sure… but I think I see her coming. And she’s holding Joy’s hand.
Lock down time is, in many ways, a time of unexpected gifts. This past weekend, we received presents from our neighbours—no birthdays, no celebrations—just kindness. Homemade chocolate ice cream, wine, fresh herbs, even a bar of Rooibos soap. Simple, thoughtful gifts. Gifts of hope.
Dancing quietly among these moments are Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’s five stages of grief—grieving for what was, and what may never be again. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. A gentle, circular dance. The end and the beginning.
I recently read an article that moved me deeply. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at fineacts.co invited 50 artists from 20 countries to create visual representations of hope. Their reason: “Today, more than anything, humanity needs hope. And art is hope.” They asked the artists a single question: What does hope look like?
That question has lingered with me. Hope, I’ve come to realise, is many things. It can be a feeling, a quiet sense of togetherness. It might resemble a memory from a more certain time. Sometimes, it’s a longing for what we do not yet have. And sometimes, it’s simply a thought, still waiting to be shaped.
I believe we begin to rediscover hope when we learn to notice joy in the small things:
The comforting scent of a just-lit candle.
A warm water bottle in a cold winter bed.
The golden remnants of autumn leaves.
The almost-sweet taste of hot cocoa on our tongues.
Hope doesn’t dwell in our possessions. It lives in our awareness. In our gratitude. In the joy of the present moment, and in the quiet urge to share that joy with others.
Doesn’t the Bible beautifully remind us of this hope—and of the One who authors it?
Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
A strong, unbreakable anchor that holds us steady in uncertain times.
So, what does hope look like?
Can you see her? I think it’s Hope. And she’s holding Joy’s hand.
©Liesl
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