My aunt asked me to talk about experiences in my life that have given me hope. It’s interesting because she asked at a time when I wasn’t feeling too hopeful about the state of the world and where we may be headed. Every day presents us with signs of all the things we’re doing wrong as a species: The climate is warming, the seas are rising, and planes are disappearing. Population growth, wealth inequality and resource consumption are through the roof. A recent study (which may or may not have been supported/funded by NASA) says civilization may be headed for collapse.
It’s not very hopeful stuff. And yet, it is very REAL stuff in that the issues facing Earth and humanity today call for action in the Here and Now … and that action can be hard to find.
And yet: Hope. My aunt asked for experiences that give me hope.
I stood in the park the other day. It was Spring, and I was not surrounded, but IMMERSED in people from every zip code on the planet … and no one was beating the crap out of each other! I realized that, for all the conflict we see in the news, most of the time, we have learned to coexist peacefully.
That gives me hope.
On TV, across social media – and, by golly, in high-definition Real Life – I see countless examples of people coming together in unprecedented ways to bring about a better future. The good in the world is EVERYWHERE!
My aunt asked me to describe a struggle to change something that worked, and what I learned from it. I have witnessed and continue to witness so many struggles to change things – some have worked, and some have not. What I have learned is that changing things in the hope of making them better isn’t a struggle – it’s a choice. We have to choose, over and over, to use our hope to propel us forward.
As Longfellow wrote: “Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, is our destined end or way.
But to act, that each tomorrow, find us farther than today.”
It is that spirit of action that led the Jews out of bondage so many years ago. As Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Happy Passover everybody. L’chaim.
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