Word of the Day: Hope

Hope goes hand in hand with other important words to me, like resiliency and motivation. If you aren't motivated and resilient, then you can often feel hopeless, or less hopeful.

I was especially thinking about hope on Tuesday night, when Democrat Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore in the race for the Senate seat from Alabama that was vacated by now Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Alabama hasn't had a Democratic Senator in 25 years. The state is typically very red. But the fact that the Republicans were trying to push through an admitted racist and bigot, and accused child predator, combined with the failing policies of our current President, has turned the state blue, at least for the Senate. It has been a strong defeat for Trump and the Republicans, and a big boost to the Democrats. There was a lot of hope on Tuesday night. Much rejoicing and excitement.

But the good feelings are tempered by the fact that Jones barely won. It was an extremely close race, much tighter than it should have been, considering who was running. In fact, at the time I am writing this, on Thursday morning, Roy Moore has yet to concede. He's attempting to contest Jones' win. Also, there is talk that Republicans, and Trump, will try to push through important legislation, including the terrible tax bill, before Jones can be sworn in, to make sure his vote won't count. Just like when the Republicans refused to even give a hearing to President Obama's choice for the Supreme Court. They stalled for so long that it was President Trump who was ultimately allowed to seat a new Supreme Court Justice.

So hope is usually balanced by reality. But hope is still a vital part of one's life, one's psyche. You have to have hope; you have to believe that bad times are fleeting, you have to understand that improvement is not only possible, but probable. And you have to use the hope you cultivate and nurture within you to make that success happen. Have faith in what you want, fight for it, and attain it.

librarianintx