As part of our Begin Again newsletter, every so often Andy and I will drop a little “ray of hope” in your inbox. Nothing too meaty, just a simple ongoing exploration around the idea of hope - as shared by others.
What does hope mean to you?
Andy and I are often asked about hope.
Questions such as:
“Where do you find hope?”
“What does hope mean to you?”
“Are you afraid to get your hopes up?”
“What is the role of hope on this journey?”
“Is hope really helpful — or even valid?”
And while we have our own shifting perceptions of hope, it is always helpful to come back to it with a fresh take.
About a month ago, musician Nick Cave was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. It was a powerful interview, and I was especially struck by Cave’s take on hope. Cave, who has suffered tremendous loss in his own life, started a website called The Red Hand Files where he answers questions from readers. In the following clip from the interview, he shares with Colbert a question he received from a reader who wonders if, with all the cynicism in the world, Cave “still believes in us (human beings).” Take a listen… (note: if reading this in your inbox, this link may pop you over to YouTube to listen and then we invite you to return to the email.)
I had to listen a few times. I even went on to listen to the extended interview here.
And ever since hearing Cave’s words, I’m thinking about how I might make hope adversarial - to lay waste to cynicism. To know that every small act of love we put into this world is “a redemptive act” and declares that “the world is worth believing in.”
We’d love if you share your thoughts with us by clicking “comment” below.
With gratitude for you…
Michael
"The world and it's inhabitants have value and are worth defending and believing in" (and thus we do good work). It is fun to think about caring for every one...every time as being a hopeful act...hadn't thought about it like that before.