Considering that the years 2020 and 2021 have been rather unhappy for the world  due mostly to the Corona virus epidemic, one factor has affected almost everyone in the planet: the loss of HOPE.

Let’s define what hope is: most of us associate hope with trust. We wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.  We cherish a desire with anticipation : we  want something to happen. We have the feeling that what is wanted can be had and  that events will turn out for the best: 

Religion did play a role as the theological virtue was defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God's help. There are many key terms and concepts in Scripture like faith, hope, love, joy, grace, peace, pleasing the Lord, etc. that we come across as we read our Bible but often these are just vague concepts for many people. 

Hope was not among the commandments received by Moses on Mount Sinai, for it gave no protection and healed nothing; it only delayed the awareness of affliction. Furthermore we should always make hope prevail over doubt.

Philosophy also has to say about  The Rationality of Hope, The analysis of Hope in The Psychological Literature and  in Political Philosophy. Compared with more widely discussed attitudes like beliefs and desires, the phenomenon of hope presents some unique challenges for both theories of the mind and theories of value. 

Cicero had this to say: Aegroto dum anima est, sped est. To the sick, while being is life, there is hope. In other words, Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Because loss of hope brings loss of strength.

Einstein was the one who said: Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.

I once read this interesting image: Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.

Is it not amazing that at night, we go to bed, without any assurance of waking up the next morning, but still we set the alarm clock to wake up, let alone that we prepared the outfit we will wear in the  morning?

As for me, I have a sister in terminal cancer in Montreal while I am here in San Diego. I wish to be with her, but the situation in Canada is very bad, and besides being quarantined once there for two weeks, the news are such that even the CDC announces today that because  of the current situation in Canada, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travels to Canada.

So I call my sister everyday, lately for no more than twenty seconds as she is so weak that she can’t speak much.
Do I have hope that she will survive? Do I pray for her to be saved?
Sadly, reality is beyond that!
How can one arouse hope in people craving for hope when they are  lost in their desert?

The other day, an Albanian friend of mine told me about a proverb from his country and it goes like this: “ If one has lost money, one has lost nothing; if one has lost friends, one has lost half of what one has and if one has lost hope, one has lost everything.” All this to say about the importance of hope.

Wasn’t it Charles de Gaule who said:” The end of hope, is the beginning of death”? So if we refuse death, we may as well stick to hope. However, I heard something upsetting about love when someone asked me :” You know what they say about hope? It only brings unhappiness. This may be understandable when one realizes that his hope never materialized. 

I wish to finish this little writing with a happy note. Indeed, sometimes it feels like the world is made up of things we experience: earthquakes, floods, wars, etc. But it's important to remember that there are things we can control, like forgiveness, second chances, and new beginnings, because the only thing that turns the desert of loneliness that is the world into a wonderful place is love. Love in all its forms. Love gives us hope. Hope for the new year.