We use the word “hope” in so many ways. There’s small “h” hope and capital “h” hope. Small “h” hope expresses our everyday wishes and expectations. We say things like, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow,” “I hope you feel better soon,” or, “Let’s hope the bus isn’t late.” These hopes express our wishes for ourselves and one another, reflecting the rhythms and dailiness of our lives.
Capital “H” hope is more complex, addressing larger issues in the world around us. Capital “H” hopes speak to our hopes for the things that impact our lives now, and the lives of future generations. These include our hopes for environmental sustainability, for social justice, or for a fix to our broken political system.
Both kinds of hope matter. They fuel our actions for building better lives and a better world. Yet today, hope can be hard to find and hold onto. To change that, we need the Department of Hope (DOH). The DOH keeps hope alive for us and those we connect with. It’s where we can share inspiration, ideas, resources, and experiences.
The DOH isn’t found within any government or private organization.The DOH is found wherever we are. It consists of all of us who have a clear vision of what is and of what can be, and who are ready to forge the connections and take the actions that will move us toward that vision.
Visit often. Share your experiences. Let’s build the DOH together!
Do What You Can
Mark Ruffalo has some humorous and kind words for activists and allies who may be feeling overwhelmed or be losing hope.
Something Better is Always Possible
… the power of hope; the belief that something better is always possible if you’re willing to work for it and fight for it. ~Michelle Obama
Hope and Possibility
Krista Tippett and Rebecca Solnit discuss hope and uncertainty, happiness and joy, the impact stories and the surprising effects of disasters on the human spirit.
As a Human Being
I am a bringer of hope. This is not the false hope of bland assurances that all will be ok, but hope based on a clear vision of what is and what can be; of hope built of forging connections and of taking actions to reach that vision.
Hope is All Around Us
In the midst of turmoil, we can find signs of hope.
Audacious Hope
There is no one easy solution this ugly and complicated problem. Yet there are things each of us can do, individually and collectively.
Big H Hope, Small h hope
Hope exists at two levels, the inspirational and the pragmatic. There is the “what could be” someday. There is the “what can be” of today.
Pursuing the Question
I’m questing in search of clarity of vision, voice and purpose for the year ahead. My question: What has to change to create a world in which violence is rare?
What’s It Like to Be 60?
Courage is the measure of our heartfelt participation with life, with another, with a community, a work; a future…Courage is what love looks like when tested by the simple everyday necessities of being alive. ~ David Whyte, Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and...
Hope in an Unlikely Place
I’m intrigued by how we can recognize that our circumstances are dire, and yet….manage to create enough meaning and hope to survive and overcome that difficult experience.
Seeds of Hope
Maryland Family Network blogs about Baltimore child care center founder and director Crystal Flowers. She and her staff are working to ensuring young children's ability to cope with the tension and the violence that's taken place in parts of the city following Freddie...
Crisis and Hope
In the midst of crisis the Department of Hope remains open.
