I Hope*

I know I am not alone in wondering about the meaning behind the plethora of natural disasters occurring around the world at the moment. What with the unfolding tragedy of earthquake followed by tsunami, followed by nuclear threat in Japan; the devastating earthquake in Christchurch; the visit from Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland; Floods in Brisbane and rural Queensland; flood waters that have not receded 6 weeks after the initial event in Victoria; the ten years of drought in parts of Australia that preceded these flooding events .... and on and on it goes.

I thought to myself - Where's the hope?

It can become increasingly difficult to think hopefully about the future when confronted daily by the seeming hopelessness of these situations. It has me thinking about the people affected by these disasters, how do they hold onto hope? Sometimes I find it difficult enough to find the hope in my life and I have not been personally affected by any of these disasters - except as a citizen of the world who feels empathy for the pain of my fellow citizens.

It is far easier to collapse into hopelessness than it is to continue to find hope for the future. I know this from my own experiences and I believe the act of living each day is an act of hope, and this is what I can do ... look for hope in the extraordinary ordinariness of everyday life, in the beauty of nature, the comfort of friends and family, the unconditional love of pets...

Like the beauty of this spider web on my back deck the other day. Amazingly skillful isn't it?

The Great Barrier reef with it's crystal clear waters...

The Melbourne skyline against the trees...

the perfection of a single red rose...

Maybe having hope is what we can do to help our fellow sisters and brothers in times of need.

While these tragedies are unfathomable to me, I have used them to remind myself that life is a gift and I have an obligation to do my best with it. While my life has not been without its trials, I have been blessed and I try and remember this every day, by being tolerant of others, accepting of difference and being open to learning and sharing.

I hope
For more love, joy and laughter
I hope
We'll have more than we'll ever need
I hope
We'll have more happy ever afters
I hope
We can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all the pain and misery
I hope, I hope

*I Hope - Dixie Chicks