Life Blog 1  Hope Denial and Expectation

I was recently asked, “When does hope become denial?” The context was a woman hoping for her partner’s return.

As I felt into what she said I had a sense of hope as a very wide, spacious thing. Hope understands and accepts that life is benevolent and good. But hope also allows space for the mystery of life, for our not knowing, ultimately, what is best for ourselves or for those whose lives we touch.

Denial is refusing to accept that what life is trying to show us is for real. This woman, while in some measure wanting to be in denial, was open to the possibility that her partner may never return, but could she still hope?

Expectation also needed to be in the mix. Hope is wide-open arms. It contains, holds, all that life may present, including unexpected delights and discomforts. Expectation shrinks – it is hands a few centimetres apart, and the focus of our attention on that very small space whist all the rest of life passes by!

Hope is big enough to hold a particular, but it spreads its arms and its vision way, way beyond the small specific.

Is there an area of your life that is inviting you to open your arms and vision wider?

May this be a season of hope for you, and may every season find you with wide-open arms.

Blessings,

Margaret

www.margaretmccallum.com