Cultivating Hope

Beyond the barricades of mind and feeling,

Hope waits, in the heart,

Yearning to be welcomed home.

—Sue

The other day I spotted a tiny pansy pushing its perky face out of a minuscule crack in a roadside curb. My walking buddy, Judith, and I stopped to congratulate “Pansy” on her ability to bloom in winter, especially in such an unlikely place. Pansy provided a curbside metaphor. Not only did her seed find enough sustenance among the concrete to survive, she also shared her beauty with two cold and appreciative women.

As Pansy did, we can create an environment within us that encourages seeds of hope to bloom and be shared. Pansy needed at least a few habitable features: a tiny amount of soil in which to set down tentative roots, a bit of sun, a minimal amount of water. Unlike Pansy’s curb, our hope-growing habitat contains thoughts, feelings, and attitudes that are not cast in concrete and, therefore, can be cleared and transformed so they no longer obstruct our growth and happiness.

With awareness, intention, and effort, we can cultivate a hope garden in our own hearts and minds.

I know it’s possible to cultivate our inner gardens because my own mind used to be weed-ridden and uninviting to most anything except thorns and prickly pears. By having the intention and taking the time to access my true Self in the sanctuary of quiet and solitude, I have been able to dig up the weeds and grow indefatigably hopeful.

Excerpted from How to Stay Upbeat in a Beat Down World by Sue Patton Thoele. Available on Amazon.