Introduction
Exploring Mont Orgueil Castle on a recent break to Jersey, my attention was caught as I walked past an arrow slit. The deep castle walls framed the view out to sea and I was struck by the contrast of the dark stone against the beauty and colour of the view beyond. It got me thinking about how when the dark feels so big and imposing that it can be hard to see the beauty beyond. It made me think about the concept of hope.
Holding onto hope
When we are struggling it is hard to see anything else but our pain or distress. It can overwhelm us until even the simplest things feel difficult to do. Our world begins to shrink as we find the things that used to be easy become harder to do. Interactions with others become more effort as we try to not let our suffering win. We can feel alone and trapped in our minds like the thick walls of a castle.
Hope becomes harder to hold onto as time passes as we can’t see a way out but often hope lies in the smallest spaces. Sometimes though the smallest bit of hope can be beautiful. This was what struck me when I looked through the arrow slit that day. Beyond the thick walls of man made stone walls was the world beyond. Colourful and in many ways a beautiful scene. The possibilities and freedom of the sea beyond the darkness. In being able to see a glimpse of these made me think of the nature of hope.
That if we’re willing to be open to it that even in the darkest of days there will be the smallest beauty or moment that can offer us hope of brighter things. Hope is small but powerful and has the ability to grow. But often we do need to look for it as our brains will naturally notice the negative more easily than the positive. If we can notice and hold onto the hope each day then we move in the right direction even if the journey is not straightforward or easy.