Day 15: Spreading Hope

Hope is meant to be shared.

In Carolyn McDade’s song, Come, Sing a Song with Me, she encourages us to share the hope we’ve found with others, especially when, like now for many of us, “hope is hard to find.” In the chorus, she writes:

And I'll bring you hope when hope is hard to find,
and I'll bring a song of love
and a rose in the wintertime.

Although I have to admit that this is not my favorite melody, I also acknowledge that her lyrics challenge me to think beyond myself. By reflecting on sharing “a rose in the wintertime,” I’m reminded that doing the unexpected for others, might bring them joy in hard times. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture to convince others that hope is not as elusive as we think. It just has to be something from the heart.

On the day after the election, my wife brought flowers to the people who work at the coffee shop she frequents. She said she knew they’d be upset, and she wanted them to know that someone appreciates them. I never would have thought to do something like that, but she does. She challenges me to spread hope by just observing what she does.

Today’s Reflection

Think about someone you encounter regularly in your day-to-day life—it could be a family member, friend, neighbor, barista, security guard, grocery store clerk, co-worker, anyone you recognize, whether or not you know them well and whether or not they share your politics—and surprise them with something. It could be a rose, or maybe a box of chocolates, a stuffed animal, or, as Elizabeth Gilbert shares, a “You Are Loved” sticker, or whatever your imagination can dream up.

Find a way to share “a rose in the wintertime” with someone in your life. I will do it too and, afterwards, we can compare notes.

LETTERS FROM LOVE — With Special Guest Rainn Wilson!

With hope in my heart,

Annette