Happy Monday!

I hope your weekend was restful! Of course, we all need some downtime these days and a chance to decompress. But, regardless of how we define rest, it’s beneficial to set aside time for ourselves and allow the various components of our wellbeing to realign and come into balance.

This past week I was contemplating the difference between hopes and wishes. I remember someone once told me that the basis of Hope relates to something real, tangible, or attainable. On the other hand, a wish is something that has no real foundation, nothing solid on which to manifest. Wishes are just our minds’ ruminations about what might be under other circumstances. Hope, however, has a strong foundation with ties to both passed interactions and future possibilities.

For example, let’s say there’s a big project coming up, a test, or an important interview. We think it wouldn’t be nice if it were the day after the event. We want something to be different than it is or is likely to be. That is a wish. However, if we prepare and arrive knowing we did our best, we can be optimistic about the outcome. That is a hope.

Now, let’s say that we do our very best in preparation and are optimistic about the outcome, but we cannot achieve the desired result. We may tell ourselves we just can’t do it, and others might agree. The thing is, we want to accomplish that particular desire. So we now face the choice of giving up or trying again.

Here’s where things get interesting. We can rally and pull together our beliefs, continue on the quest, and learn from our previous experiences. We can generate a positive attitude. And, we can push through adversity and make that Hope become a reality.

When the world says 'give up,' by vicxkyz on DeviantArt
no copyright infringement intended

That’s the beauty of Hope. Its base is on reality, the ability to achieve, and the foundation for a brighter future. Sometimes Hope is deferred, but we will eventually arrive at our destination when we apply our integrity and values and persevere with positivity and managed expectations.

In the Scriptures, we find these encouragements:

“Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24 (CSB)

“And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.” Romans 8:28 (TLB)

“Hope postponed grieves the heart; but when a dream comes true, life is full and sweet.” Proverbs 13:12 (VOICE)

Consider the benefits of understanding the differences between wishes and hopes. Hope is actionable, whereas wishes are fleeting. We can choose to facilitate our dreams, but we can’t wish them into existence. Instead, we can apply our knowledge, skills, and guidance to create a path to fulfillment and realize hoped outcomes. And when the world beckons us to give up, we can listen to Hope’s whispers and try again.

Why not choose hope this week. Examine what’s holding us back and whether or not we’re dealing with wishes or hopes. And let’s listen to every whisper of hope to bring our imaginings to fruition!

Be Well & Be Blessed!
Lucinda