There is still Hope

Front:
There is still H OPE НОРЕ "Hope is not despair about the present with blind faith in the future; it is the ability to see the potential in the present." When I heard that, I imme- diately felt hopeful. It reminded me that everything has to start somewhere, and where I start might as well be where I already am, rather than taking the popular approach & trying to start where I'm not (mighty rough on the molecular structure). The exotic journey of ten thousand miles probably begins with simply getting out of bed (maybe with a little enthusiasm for a change?). Any of The Big Things In Life, whether it's something l'm afraid of or wish for, a dream that Il'd like to turn into reality or whatever stands in the way of my doing so, it always seems to be made up of a bunch of smaller elements. Working on these components individually (get out the miniature toolkit!), they are usually accessible, manageable, and surmount- able. When I can shift my focus to what is possible using my available resources, there never fails to be some move that I can make which will bring me closer to my goal. Every Step Counts. Sure, I can use this realization to whip up some drama and scare myself silly, but Why? There are so many less-stressful ways to induce silliness. Instead I can use it as a reminder that what I am capable of doing now makes a difference. And if I increase the attention I pay to the quality of the whole process, trying to find opportunities to take each step with integrity, with caring, with gumption, with love, and with humor (spiritual galoshes for step-taking in the modern world), my fear of trying new things and of taking risks decreases. Then, sud- denly, wonderful options which I hadn't noticed before begin to make their presence known. When I'm able to see possibilities and feel the impact they could have, I can act on them with the confidence that comes from knowing I've got the ability to do something about making my dreams come true. And when you know that, then (by anyone's definition) there is still hope. Larson.

Back:
HM-50 © hold the mustard productions / david & j.e. jouris 1983 / at: 645 alcatraz / Oakland, Calif-usa / 94609 / (415) 655-8910 / Thanks to: vicki, chonny, jeff, john, tommy, mark, derek, liv, michael, randy, janice, Poortaste in s.f. (hats), & Lazaris (front quotation) The Tom Sawyer Whitewashing Contest, held yearly at Hannibal, attracts youngsters from Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Boys line up, then dash to the fence at a signal. Speed, accuracy, and costume determine the winner.