The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope. --Samuel Johnson
A truly powerful force in the universe is that of optimism. Optimism lies at the root of our mental and physical health. Feelings of hope can stimulate the bodys immune system and inspire recovery from a critical illness.
Optimism expresses itself in the persistence and resilience of living things. A child learning to walk repeatedly falls down and picks himself up until he stands erect. A decade after the eruption of Mount St. Helens destroyed the local ecology, life had reestablished itself on this volcano with amazing abundance and rapidity. And despite its hostile environment, a sole dandelion miraculously pushed itself up through a crack in the concrete. That dandelion was optimistic that it could and would survive.
In the long run, the forces of love and life always triumph over those of fear and death. No matter how challenging the obstacles or difficult the tests, there is always cause for optimism.
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Love it! Hope is a huge positive mental state. Had a dose of it over the weekend. Good feeling. I remember that first feeling of Hope when the AA message finally sunk in. What a relief and motivator. Thanks, Pappy!
I had become completely hopeless because of my drinking. Now I have more hope and am more optimistic than I have had in years since I have been sober.
Beautiful quote and thoughts, Pappy, and especially love that the little dandelion pushed itself up through the concrete! Talk about hope!
