Hope. Noun. A feeling of trust. A feeling of optimism or expectation for something to happen. A wish.

Hope. Verb. To cherish a desire with anticipation. A want for something to be the case.

Hope. I continue to be constantly grateful for the ability to have hope. And not just have hope, but wake up wanting to have hope. When I have every reason to not or to give in to the fact that life will happen regardless (so what’s the point)…I continue to hope. I choose to not let life, experiences, people, external factors have the power or ability to damper that flame within me. Having hope…with a sprinkle of realism…is a powerful force.

Whatever belief or holiday you hold and might celebrate this time of year…I believe, hope is interwoven in and amongst it all. Children hope for Santa to come, stockings to be filled…others for special meals to be made, those magic moments to happen…The lights and decorations give hope…the invitations from family and friends involve hope…the music played is constructed of chords of hope…

For me, having hope is like shouting hallelujah from the rafters, the mountain tops, the sidewalks of cities. Hope is what it feels like to shed tears, share smiles, feel a rush of excitement. Hope is wishing for that reach-out or hello. Hope is sitting still, watching the dance of life happen, soaking it all in, and taking a deep breath. Hope is forgiveness. Hope is letting go. Hope is choosing to allow whatever happened yesterday to be the past. Hope is continuing to try when you’ve been given every reason to give up. Hope is looking yourself in the mirror with confidence and saying ‘I can do this.’

Hope is complex beast. It brings to the surface light and darkness. Simplicity and complexity. Pleasures and pains. It challenges us to be opportunists that embrace the beautiful complexity of life.

“…I’ve heard there was a secret chord…but you don’t really care for music, do you?…well it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth…the minor fall, the major lift…Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah…but you needed proof…well…it’s a cold and broken hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah…” – Leonard Cohen

Today. Always. I am grateful for hope. I am grateful for the ability to want to have hope. As I say, “a girl can have hope and still be a realist…but this girl isn’t ever going to give up on having hope.”

Hallelujah for hope.