I’ve shared this poem before, but I love it so much, and desperately need it in these days of war reports and bitter divisions and struggles endured by family and friends. As the crocuses and daffodils bravely stretch out of the soil, let us also rise strong in hope.
Hope is the thing with feathers
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I’ve heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
Emily Dickinson
My friend Jen Otey, an artist and teacher, used Dickinson’s poem into a beautiful mural that now hangs outside of our local “Pay what you can” food cafe. The cafe offers lunch every weekday and customers can either pay what they can or volunteer in exchange for the meal. They work with local farmers and gardeners to use locally produced food. It’s a project of HOPE Ministries, an organization dedicated to Helping Overcome Poverty’s Existence. A grand example of HOPE in action.
What are some examples of HOPE in action that you can share to make us smile?
Thanks for getting HOPEFUL with me.
