In my book Leadership by LIGHT: Principles That Empower, I begin with the concept that life is a journey of our own creating. With the thought of creating our own future, how impossible would that be without HOPE? Webster tells us that hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had; a place where expectations can be centered.
On a fall drive the other day, my wife
spotted a sign nailed to a post. It was cause for us to turn around and take a closer look. I have cropped the phone number off the bottom; but as we were looking at this sign, the young lady who posted it walked across the parking lot. She saw my wife taking a picture and asked with hope, have you seen my chicken? “No, I’m sorry,” she said, “sure hope you find it.” It had been two weeks since she posted it (long enough for someone to add a little graffiti). This telephone post is in a parking lot adjacent to a country grocery store and across the street from a bar; not in the city, but not exactly rural either.
We didn’t tell her our family had chickens and that from time to time, predators such as raccoons, skunk, and fox pay a visit and fulfill the cycle of life. We would never want to take away the hope expressed in this demonstration of her expectation. She was acting on her hope that her chicken could be found and returned.
I chuckled to think of whether or not her hope would be realized; but who could ever laugh at such a demonstration of hope? Refreshing indeed.
I hope in our own journey in life, as we create our future, we can have such an innocent and open display of hope. Hope after all, is the first step in framing our future.
