Spontaneous Hope
Sunday Collect – February 13, 2022
Amanda Jane
“Courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama
COLLECT
A recap/summary of the week’s prayers and contemplations
MONDAY
We learned from Harriet Tubman that in freedom, there is hope.
We learned from Toni Morrison that our memories and our stories give hope to others.
WEDNESDAY
We learned from Michelle Obama that just as hope is a never-ending, so is our becoming.
THURSDAY
We learned from Ona Judge that every child of God is a reflection of hope.
FRIDAY
We learned from Nina Simone that a desire to be loved and to love is worth hoping for.
We looked back through our own stories for lessons on hope.
PRAXIS
Friday night my sister texted me, “I’M COMING TO VISIT FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!” Within two hours, she’d not only booked an Air BNB, but had rallied another one of our sisters, one of our cousins, our nephew, her son, and her friend, to come to Chicago with her to celebrate her birthday.
Let me explain: I was having a totally ordinary evening at home with nothing but more ordinary evenings to look forward to on my calendar, until BAM!!!… suddenly, something new enters the ordinary. In one short text, my sister, whom I adore, had given me this joyful thing to look forward to, and I was beyond excited.
The next morning my sister and I talked on the phone to plan her trip and all that we would do. I haven’t seen my sister in over ten years!!! I’d lived in Texas and she was in Ohio and life is hard and money was tight. But that Friday it dawned on her that now that I lived only six hours away, she could jump in the car and be with me for her birthday. It was a totally spontaneous decision, especially for her. Like me, she’s a planner who loves a routine. Hurray for us!
Before we hung up she sighed and said, “I’m so glad we’re doing this. I really need this, Marcie. I was just starting to feel so depressed and down lately. I knew I had to do something. You know? Something different.”
Sometimes we just need to do something to catch ourselves from falling into a rut that can lead to feeling low, which can lead to feelings of depression, which can lead to hopelessness. And sometimes the best cure for those ordinary, ho-hum feelings is to do something extraordinary to break up the monotony of the days ahead.
It could be argued that visiting a loved one is really an ordinary thing to do. Yes, but not if it’s a loved one that you haven’t seen in years. In fact, even if you see your loved ones all the time, an out-of-the-blue and out-of-the-norm visit is simply wonderful and special. It’s something extra: “extra”ordinary.
Sometimes hope is mixing it up and planning something new and out-of-the-ordinary to kickstart our ability to hope for good things to come.
Plan something “extra” ordinary. Or do as I did and welcome someone’s invitation to do something spontaneous and different.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
From Human Rites by Ward and Wild
Beloved, our Father and Mother,
in whom is heaven,
hallowed be your name,
followed be your royal way,
done be your will and rule,
throughout the whole creation.
With the bread we need for today,
feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another,
forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure,
spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil,
free us.
For you reign in the glory
of the power that is love,
Now and forever.
Amen.
Oh my, I cannot begin to tell you the joy I received reading your story. I must admit that I could have quickly given way to sadness. But how could I when you and she exuded such joy and hope. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏻😊💚