Hope Is Ezekiel James S. Navarro Victory Christian International School
The myth of Pandora’s Box tells us a story of the eponymous woman who opens a box and accidentally frees evil things to the world. It is said that once all evil had escaped, one spirit remained at the bottom—Hope, here perceived as a fragile, fairy-like creature, unable to protect itself. Like all ideas in myths, this seems to reflect our perception of hope in our world. It appears to be unprotected from every danger. And yet what is extraordinary though is how we somehow know that even if it is in the midst of troubles, hope endures. Needless to say, hope is a vague subject to talk about. There’s “Hope for the future”. There’s “Hope for the flowers”. Yet the real definition of Hope is indefinable solely because all definitions are dependent on how a person views hope. Just like a rusty coin, it may be considered useless to one but a prized treasure for a collector. It all depends on perspective. But one thing is certain, it is amazing how hope persists even though it varies for one person to another. As one virtue strives to exist, so another dies. For a virtue or moral standard to continue to exist, it must be passed on or shared to others. But how is hope shared? Through touch? Through words? Through a simple hello? Believe it or not, these are just some of the thousand avenues of how hope is shared. We all know that signs of affection can act as the perfect conduit for hope to pass through one individual to another. Even as simple as an embrace or a tap on the shoulder can mean profoundly to someone who is going through a lot. You not only share hope to
them; you also re-ignite a doused flame of hope inside them. You remind them carry on. The comfort of a tap on the back is often overlooked; but to a person who is about to give up on himself because he has lost all hope, it is the turning point of his life. Never underestimate the “small touch of hope”. Let us now talk about the words we speak. The noises we produce with our throats, the whispers of life and death, or however you wish describe it. These words can bring life or death. If a simple touch can bring comfort to a person in distress, so too an audible encouragement can uplift a mourning friend. The more that you hesitate to say something encouraging to a person, the more you miss out on being a part of the people who can touch his or her heart and brighten his or her day… or at least you tried. There is a quote that goes something like: “Do not despise the day of small beginnings…” These “small beginnings” can pertain to the beginning of friendship. All friendships start with hello; but all memorable conversations with friends need to end with good-bye. We all know that good-byes are sad, of course. But to see it in a completely different perspective, it is also a reassurance to your friends that you acknowledge their presence. It might not be a big deal to you but it is a way to tell people that you care. These everyday greetings or simple waving gestures are more than what they seem. They serve as reassurance for others knowing that someone takes a brief moment to recognize their existence. Another means through which hope can travel is non-verbal communication. What I mean is that a friend can console a person and give hope by the very act of just being there. Simply waiting by, saying nothing, doing nothing. And with nothing, you communicate that you will be there if you need them or call for them. You do not always
require words to show you love someone. All you need to do to give them hope is just be there no matter what. So, what is hope and how is it shared? Hope is the flame that invigorates a person to keep moving forward. No matter how small the spark of hope a person holds, it spreads like wildfire to others once they realize they too need to keep moving. Hope is already in each of us. For some, it may be dwindling. For others, burning bright. Yet this we call to mind: as long there is life, there is hope for us. Hope is waiting, waiting for that one more step of faith that will continue the journey. Yes, hope may seem like a fragile creature. A mere firelight. But once it spreads, it spreads like wildfire. And when it does, it is impossible to extinguish it.