A Fire of Hope

The light slowly and quietly breaks the dark condition of the horizon. The first glimpse of the sun gives energy to all those who see it, feel it. The canvas of colors instantly invites us into a renewal that we all know so well. For it is offered to us daily.

A renewal of life. A revival of our hearts. A restoration of our souls. Peace.

That being said, beyond the peace that we feel, there is a burning desire that smolders from within. A desire for starting anew. A desire to escape the past. A desire to take a step forward. A desire to breathe and be fully alive right here and now in the present. We might call this intense desire, Hope.

Over the years, we have run the risk of sentimentalizing this great virtue, making it into something passive or even cute. But those who pay attention to the deep desires from within that come each dawn know otherwise. The intense smoldering of desire is not of smoke or ember; rather, it is a raging flame that points to being fully alive.

“Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.”

St. Augustine

Now more than ever, to hope is to have courage. To hope is to have strength. To hope is to quietly seek the light within the darkness. Just as there is no love without sacrifice, there is no hope without finding the great fire from within—a fire given to us by the One who made us. A fire felt with every silent light that invades the eroding darkness.

During these last few months, I have found myself resorting back to the most fundamental of things. Namely Faith, Hope, and Love. The foundation of life. The place of rest for the heart. The inexhaustible peace for the soul.

I have found myself once again yearning for wonder. Yearning for truth.

Yearning for the brilliant colors of each morning, igniting the fire within me.

Sunrise

What is the name of the deep breath I would take
over and over or all of us?
Call it whatever you want, it is
happiness, it is another one
of the ways to enter
fire.

Mary Oliver