Hope Springs Eternal

A Sixty-Word Short Story*:

Stewart was famous for having a positive outlook on the world and was excellent at providing hope, and encouragement for tackling whatever problems his family, friends, and colleagues might be facing. He knew this was a gift and he was keenly aware that this is what people expected of him, and dutifully he never disappointed. Until one day, he changed.

And more…

“Hope springs eternal,” was famously written by Alexander Pope in 1732 in his poem An Essay on Man. It expresses an ability that we humans possess to always have hope, even in difficult circumstances. For some folks like Stewart, in our story, it can become such a strong perspective and way of life, that is literally can define a person. The truth is that we all have the ability to become an advocate of hope and faith and an evangelist for positive thinking. In fact, I’m sure we all know someone like Stewart, someone that somehow makes us feel better in their company. We learn to enjoy their insights, and the positive spin they provide on life’s constant challenges, disappointments, turmoil and angst. Where would we be without them, without hope? – Dramatic pause while we ponder this question. Ok, times up.

The short answer is nobody knows. Fortunately, Mr. Pope was correct in his assessment of human nature; we can always find a way for hope to emerge in our psyche, and I happen to believe that if we lose hope, we lose ourselves. This is especially true when outside circumstance exerts its power to change our world in what we feel is a negative way, and we think that there is nothing we can do about it. So often this is sadly true, it’s quite difficult to change the world just because we don’t like the way it’s treating us. However, we do have a mind that gives us the power to choose how we react to bad news and events, it’s just that it seems easier to say than it is to do. And maybe this is what happened to Stewart. Maybe he just was so bombarded with negative noise and hyperbole that he succumbed to the weight of it all. Let’s hope not.

Let’s hope instead that we can all spring eternal. That this Spring we hear the birds, see the bees, and feel the joy of new life all around us. Joy is a spark for hope and hope builds confidence and confidence can open new doors, and new ways to change our world – just the way we always hoped it would be.

Final Thought: Hope is the fuel that powers change and spawns new beliefs where anything is possible.

* Always 60 words. No more. No Less. For more stories like this and information about my books, please visit www.szenzone.com