120 Things that give me HOPE
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
–Emily Dickinson
Hopelessness and discouragement drain us of our creative passion. When I get stuck in hopelessness or despair I make lists. I’m not sure why. Somehow it helps me keep going despite all evidence of ‘what’s the point?’ A few years ago, I wrote this list during a difficult time to give me the courage to carry on. I updated it this week with current thoughts. If you are a paid subscriber you have the option to comment at the end, and I hope you will.
Is there anything you would add?
(If you are wondering why you are receiving this newsletter, see last week’s post.)
120 Things that Give me Hope:
1. Being surrounded by trees
2. Small acts of kindness
3. Taking a walk along a mountain stream
4. Children playing in nature
5. National parks and national forests
6. Robust small southern towns
7. Art museums that include women painters
8. Slower rhythms
9. Deep breaths
10. Forests
11. Wilderness
12. Dreams that point the way to new possibilities
13. Sacred places around the world
14. The creative process
15. new projects
16. Ancient mountains
17. long stretches of beach
18. Rolling farmland surrounded by mountains
19. A great story
20. Bold, clear voices
21. Blues music with female singers
22. Gospel choirs
23. Groves of trees
24. People who strive to be conscious/aware/awake
25. Sitting in a sunny spot on my porch in the winter
26. A good night’s sleep
27. Farmer’s markets at the height of summer
28. Live music in intimate settings
29. A thoughtful barista who starts making my usual order as soon as I walk in the door.
30. Knowing myself and what I need
31. Eye contact with someone who has kind eyes
32. A smile from a stranger
33. Laughter from anyone
34. Time with friends
35. City parks with shady benches in summer
36. Sitting by a river having a picnic
37. Rocking chairs
38. A good review of one of my novels
39. Book sales; not having to worry about money
40. Cool, clean drinking water from a well
41. Paths and trails that lead to something beautiful
42. A good map that will get you where you’re going
43. Deep conversations
44. Beautiful images in books, on walls, in galleries, online
45. Stories on tv where a character transforms into a better person by the end
46. Old friends
47. New friends
48. Brave friends
49. The ground underneath my feet
50. Bluebirds
51. Old fashioned letters
52. Campfires
53. Wildflowers
54. Blue skies smiling at me 🎶
55. Sunrises
56. Sunsets
57. Full moons
58. Resilience
59. New moons
60. Porches (decks, balconies) that overlook something beautiful
61. Hummingbirds
62. Butterflies
63. Flower gardens
64. Lightning bugs
65. Tree houses
66. Forgiveness
67. 4 distinct Seasons
68. Knowing that this, too, shall pass
69. Dignity
70. The migration of birds
71. Honorable people doing honorable things
72. Wildlife
73. Pristine Nature
74. People with humility instead of hubris
75. Family trees; genealogy
76. Whales
77. Dolphins
78. Polar bears
79. Genuineness
80. Honesty with myself and others
81. Loggerhead turtles
82. Beehives full of bees
83. Honey
84. Hard work
85. Not working at all
86. A good film that has women as main characters
87. A well-written book that I can’t put down
88. Belief in something bigger than myself
89. A sense of purpose
90. Mountain vistas
91. People who are trying to do good things in the world
92. The knowledge that we are all connected
93. A good meal that I didn’t have to cook
94. Unplugging from electronics for long stretches of time
95. Poetry
96. Poets
97. Old wise women
98. Afternoon naps
99. Contemporary art
100. Bookstores
101. Libraries
102. Knowing I can be wrong
103. Tolerance
104. Acceptance
105. Imagination
106. Creative people who actually create
107. Art supplies, paper and time to draw
108. People who read
109. People who read my novels
110. Heaven
111. Young people who refuse to follow the herd
112. Old people who refuse to follow the herd
113. Anyone who dares to be different/outliers
114. People who ask questions and think deeply
115. Writers who are afraid, but write anyway
116. Good editors
117. Times when I surprise myself
118. Journeys that have a beautiful destination
119. People who are grateful for what they have
120. Comments and emails from readers
Please feel free to make your own list, or add to this one in the comments section. You are also welcome to share or forward this list to your friends.
In the meantime, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support my writing habit. It is $5 a month. I have scholarships available if you need one. Simply reply to this email and tell me why that would be helpful. If you would like to pay for a friend, please feel free. If you only write checks, and don’t trust the internet with your info, you can mail me a check for whatever amount seems fair to you. Respond to this email or use susan@susangabriel.com and I will send you my postal address.
Thank you for reading. As we say in the South: I appreciate you.