Hope

congerdesign via Pixabay

Today is National Day of Hope, an observation that has inspired me to explore hope in two ways -- one personal and one about my characters.








Three things that give me hope:

1. My positive psychology class. The subject matter, sure, but the interactions I have with the students in this class never fail to inspire smiles and a sense of optimism. I typically end up leaving campus feeling better than I did when I arrived -- even on days when I arrive in high spirits.
2. My daughter and much of her generation. Children (or, in her case, young adults) inspire a unique mixture of pride and affection. Watching her strike out enthusiastically on her own and expand her confidence brings me utter joy. Similarly, watching other young adults -- people the age of my daughter and my students -- work for positive change, determined that their actions will yield results leaves me optimistic about the future.
3. Sunny days. It's been gray and even snowy here in Central Pennsylvania and while my allergies aren't ready for spring, I'm ready for some sunshine and some color from Mother Nature to keep my tiny daffodils company. There's something about a sunny day that inspires a sense of possibility. 

Three things my characters hope for:

1. Angel and Marita are both mothers, so the hope at the top of both of their lists is a happy, healthy life for their daughters. Similarly, Peter Spencer has wanted only this for his Angel since she was just a little girl.
2. Charli's hopes at the moment revolve around boys, school and keeping her friendships on track. While she's currently optimistic about her family situation, she never feels completely secure about her place at her father's, no matter how hard Angel works to change that.
3. Marita's parents hope for their daughter to find stability in her life. Although Rosemarie grudgingly admits that her daughter has done a good job with Charli, she still wishes Marita would find a husband, settle down and maybe even give her more grandchildren.  

What are you hoping for? What can you do to move from hoping to accomplishing?