How is your reading of The Garden Within by Dr. Anita Phillips coming along? If you fall behind, it's okay. Sometimes you need time to process what you are reading! What had me pause was the section discussing hope.
How many times have you been told to "not get our hopes up" from a well-meaning friend or family member? It was said to spare us from the feeling of disappointment. In the Black community, we have dealt with disappointment so many times that we avoid situations that will only cause us disappointment when the desired expectation is not met. Friends, we need to have our hopes up! Having hope takes courage
Last week we discussed how the soil and how are hearts are like the soil. "Your heart is the soil of our whole life too." (pg.22). In order for us to have a harvest, our soil (heart) has to be fertile. "When we resist our feelings, we risk undermining the soil's fertility in the long-term." (pg. 27).
It is OKAY to feel disappointment. We must let ourselves feel things (joy, sadness, etc) so our hearts don't become stony and unproductive. To have the fertile soil we need to grow our garden, it is necessary for us to feel all emotions. "Emotional well-being is our capacity- and willingness - to feel all our feelings." (pg. 28). I invite you to reread pgs. 26-28. It discusses the importance of hope.
Below is a video excerpt of Dr. Anita Phillips speaking with Oprah Winfrey about the importance of hope.
It takes courage to hope in an environment that is less than ideal. Our first African-American President, Barack Obama wrote the book entitled The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. With this upcoming election, we may need to revisit this book.
I have heard in Christian sermons, "Expectation is the breeding ground for miracles." Hope is "the feeling of expectation" (Dr. Phillips, 26). We can't hope for anything we don't expect. What if you get disappointed? It's okay! You can handle it! We deserve a fertile garden!
The Gardner's Garden
Why plant anything without expecting (hoping) for a harvest? This video was taken on June 28, 2024.
Living hopefully! You know "hope-ality" is my word. Hope activates my faith which is what keeps me going.