What is the difference between hope and optimism? I view optimism as believing in the positive outcome no matter what, which at least for me, is almost impossible to maintain all of the time. Hope, on the other hand, is the belief that together we can make it better, that no matter what, the situation can change– with the key word being ‘we’. With hope, we can support each other to make the changes, so even when the situation isn’t ideal, when everything seems gloomy or sad, and when it feels impossible to remain optimistic, you can still have hope in the face of adversity.

I have the privilege of working with people who suffer, and I also have the privilege of witnessing miracles on a regular basis. To my point, I get to see what often seems hopeless turn around and be better and so much greater than one could have ever thought.

I have been reading ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’, and it seems that those who survived the Holocaust by and large were the ones who were hopeful, who kept a sense of purpose and faith even when they couldn’t be optimistic, and even when everything around them was so very dark.

How do you remain hopeful? And for that matter, how do you remain optimistic, especially if you are able to do so when the situation you’re in is dark and when the outlook seems bleak?

Ultimately, we aren’t in control of what happens. However, we are in control of how we handle it, as well as how we react and respond to what is placed in front of us, and we have the choice to have faith, and hope that it will all turn out positively for us and everyone else.

This week, let’s do our best to be hopeful, and let’s remember that recovery from anything truly happens with the blink of an eye. Just as things may grow dark in an instant, it is the same way with how light can shine when we hold onto hope, no matter what.

Accountability, Community, Unconditional Love

Asher

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