When you hear the first few notes of a favorite song, and smile;

And its lyrics resonate deep in your soul:

That is hope.

When it rains in the spring, and the world is dreary and gray,

And you think of the flowers to come:
That is hope.

When you see the printed out quote you taped to your bedroom wall,

And you feel a warm rush in your heart at those words:

That is hope.

When the sun is setting and the sky is painted a fiery red,

And you smile and think “Beautiful”:

That is hope. 

When you feel uncertainty about a friend’s actions,

And you give them the benefit of the doubt: 

That is hope. 

When you think of how much easier it would be to give up and give in,

But you refuse to stop fighting:
That is hope. 

When only one thing goes right and so much has gone wrong,

And you choose to focus on that one good thing:

That is hope.

When you have been hurt and heartbroken time and again,

And you continue to cherish love:
That is hope. 

When you have seen so much that is bad and dark and painful in this world,

And you can still recognize the good:
That is hope.