What is Hope?

[Guava Jelly]

"'Hope' is the thing with feathers –")
by Emily Dickinson

"Hope" is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –

I've heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of Me.

[Deja Q]

1. Hope is a game, bought into by the gullible who take it sincerely.

No more games.

[buddhamama]

2. heh

i resemble that remark, although i disagree that my hope is some kind of game.

[Deja Q]

3. I used to have hope.

and it was utterly sincere.

But it crashed and burned... can't say why.

[buddhamama]

4. i understand

i have gone through periods of apathy in my life where i felt blah or disconnected.

i think it is unfair of you to generalize though, and discount/mock another person's hope as a game, gullibility, etc.

[Deja Q]

6. I'm talking about my sense of hope and my gullibility.

I am no stranger to feeling disconnected too... Little do you know... but it seemed so real... oh well.

It is still unfair for me to generalize, even when getting older and more crotchety over how humans behave; but all I know is that I am not deserving of what other people take so readily and often for granted...

And I thought I was empathizing with others who have been hurt because of their gullibility. Then again, what would I know? :shrug:

[buddhamama]

7. i think

i know more than you give me credit for.

i apologize if i misunderstood your post. I have empathy as well for those who place their trust (themselves) in others only to be made a fool and tossed aside. I retain my hope though, not because of what others do or don't do, but for who i am. i take nothing for granted btw, that would be gullible.

you are deserving of acceptance and love. :hug:

[Deja Q]

8. Very true

I tend to underestimate people and often end up surprised. (inverse gullibility this time?)

I take little for granted, but I always seem to have high hopes. Amazing how high disappointment follows. Maybe I took the concept for granted. Maybe I need to redefine the concept.

Thank you all the same. For whatever time remains, I hope I find acceptance and love. Or maybe despite it all, I'm not yet used to being spat on. :shrug:

[BarenakedLady]

12. The higher the hope

The higher the fall. I hear ya, unfortunately.

:hug:

For what it's worth, you have my acceptance and love (as well as I'm sure others). You, like me, don't give yourself enough credit and have a hard time hearing the positives. Negativity can drown out so much. I truly hope you find happiness, my friend. :pals: You deserve it.

[Guava Jelly]

9. very well stated my friend!

You are the most empathetic person I have met in a long time.
The world needs more buddhamamas :)

[buddhamama]

22. thank you,

my definition of hope is *being*. it is being a good person even if i do not see/experience the effects of my being.

Living the words of the late great Bertrand Russell: One must care about a world one will never see.

It is hope, my friend. :loveya: :hug:

[Guava Jelly]

25. "One must care about a world one will never see"

Or a friend they may never meet.

Thank you buddhamama!
:hug:

[miss_american_pie]

5. Hope is the name I took at my Confirmation

:hi:

[Guava Jelly]

10. cool!

:hi:

[av8rdave]

11. Not sure what it is, but I know it floats

[crim son]

13. Hope is what we cling to until we are able to deal honestly with reality.

It isn't anything real at all.

[Guava Jelly]

16. So hope is life buoy until you find solid land to stand on

keeps you from sinking.
interesting..

[crim son]

23. Well said. Sometimes though I think we'd be better off

without it. Some do grab onto that buoy and wait for rescue, suffering and starving but with visions of the sandy beach; when all the while it turns out they're in water only four feet deep and there's an island ten minutes away if they'd only turn their head to take a look.

Yes, that's me, expanding on your metaphor, 'cause I can. :7

[Guava Jelly]

24. So hope can also be a reaction of fear.

Fear of being wrong..Fear of the unknown..
What if the water isn't only four feet deep?
What if i swim ten minutes in one direction and there is nothing there?
What if i can't find the bouy again?
I hope the water is four foot deep and land is ten minutes away..And if not I hope I can find my bouy again.
Can hope hold you back from even having the balls to say F$ck it and go for it and what ever happens happens?

(I don't even mind that people arent voting to me this is interesting conversation :7 )

[crim son]

29. Yes, that is exactly what hope can do. Hold you back.

I've recently abandoned the buoy. Terrifying, sad, but at least I know I'm finally living on my own terms. I've yet to catch sight of land but I know it's there. And if it isn't, I drown. My choice, for the first time in years and years.

I choose to have "expectations."

[Guava Jelly]

30. I bet you a million Bucks it's there Crim son!!

And I believe you will do just fine!
And that you are a braver woman than i think you think you are!!!
:hug: :7

[crim son]

35. Not brave, my adorable friend.

Stubborn. :hug: :hug:

[Guava Jelly]

36. Hey if stubborn gets you through I can accept that

After all "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet."
--From Romeo and Juliet
And thank you for the double hugs
:hug: :hug:

[The2ndWheel]

14. Hope is what got us into this mess, nt

[flvegan]

15. Hope is a human emotion or feeling

usually utilized in a positive way as to what the individual (or group) wants. Often stated in a "looking forward to" way.

Crap, that's a total bummer of a response.

[Guava Jelly]

17. So hope is sort of like desire?

Or a desired outcome that is.
One where you have no control but you sort of "Wish" it to happen a certain way

[petronius]

18. It's a big giant diamond... (nt)

[anarch]

19. hope is the carrot

in the carrot and stick mechanism by which our society is controlled. The stick is fear. By aternately engineering hope and fear in the populace, you can get people to do nearly anything.

[idgiehkt]

20. Hope is Emo

thanks to Lefty Mom for this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3t0ibVMf4A

this is Crista Flanagan, who is currently on Madtv, btw. I love this video, lol.

[mad-mommy]

21. even from a somewhat pessimistic person....

even from a somewhat pessimistic person....hope is what you have left in your greatest moments of despair. It is real. Without it, your spirit would cease to exist.

[Guava Jelly]

26. Hope then in your eyes as in the eyes of many

Is Oxygen. Or a respirator to keep you breathing and alive.

[wildhorses]

27. ~hope is what gets me out of bed every day~

hope is what is left
when there is no reason

[Guava Jelly]

28. So hope is a kick in the @$$ for you?

I can lay in bed and wither away Or I can get up see what happens and "hope" things work out

[wildhorses]

31. that is pretty much it in a nutshell

hope i don't fuck it up too bad :shrug:

[Guava Jelly]

32. I will just submit that you shouldn't confuse Hope with courage!

After all hope can motivate you to get out of bed.
But only you can actually do it..Face your day your trials etc.
So your hope is actually fueling your courage to go on.
I bet you never realized how brave you are :)

[wildhorses]

33. notice how it works--

first the hope...
THEN courage
without hope
there is nothing

[Guava Jelly]

34. But the courage was always there.

Hope helped you find it

[wildhorses]

37. so then, hope is a pair of glasses?

how_very_zen



























:rofl:

[Guava Jelly]

38. Glasses do help you see

:)

[wildhorses]

39. thanks for this thread--bookmarking it to reflect on later

I think there is poem in here somewhere

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

40. This thread is probably the worst poll thread i have ever done (vote wise)

But intellectually it was enjoyable as hell!

[wildhorses]

42. yeah, its not the quantity -- its the quality--

hey didn't someone do a poll about those the other day? was it you:P

[RFKHumphreyObama]

41. Clinton's Acceptance Speech 1992-I Still Believe in A Place Called Hope

http://www.democraticunderground.com/speeches/clinton.html