Pandora's Finale Part 1

     A million dollars.  World peace.  A significant other.  As human beings, we hope-- it's our nature.  It may not be as big as these, but at all times and in some degree, we expect for something good to happen [to us] in a given time.  However, with each glimmer of optimism, it's immediately dashed by events uncalled for.  A bombing in the Middle-East.  A plane crash over Eastern Europe.  A great recession.  Unemployment.  Divorce.  Death.  The smile that you had had turned to a face of uneasiness.

     "Doggone it."

     The expletives fly and maybe a few tears, too.  A block of cynicism is added upon the wall of the pessimist, lying in the back of your head.  Disappointment.  Resentment.  It's an amazingly different world now-- someone shaded your eyes with a filter of darkness.

     "Life isn't fair; life sucks.  I'm never going anywhere."

     Surprisingly, it's really easy to bring negativity in your life.  Frighteningly, it can control how you act and even how you think.  This may not be the first hope crushed-- neither the last.  In our lives throughout, there are many things we have come to expect-- they may not turn the way we'd think and we can grovel for it.  To cry over spilled milk-- somehow, we justify that there's a reason to do so.

     In my life, exactly about a year ago, I was in a fight with a friend.  Words were exchanged about trust and behavior.  In a nutshell, I was acting like a toddler and was just blasting at this person that this person would simply forget me and abandon me as I would continue my missionary service.  Evidently, that was NOT the case.

     Point being, midst such argument and accusation, midst me even picking the wrong choices in life even before my mission, this friend still had compassion for me-- this friend had hope for me, never having given up.  This person hadn't just ditched me, crying "grow up, you're so needy.  Get a life."  I would have pretty much destroyed every expectation that my friend had of me-- someone who could be pure, caring, and of integrity.  I feel like, of all these expectations, I've crushed them all, yet my friend had pressed on-- with a steadfastness of hope.

     From this little reflectional lesson, I could see two things:

1. With every disappointment you face, expect hope for many things afterward-- the coming of a new day, a time to repair relationships, or even a time to just change your outlook.
2. Like a long-term economic investment, hope requires time and a LOT of commitment.  There will be drops and falls, but remember that no matter how deep the fall, you'll be able to climb back up and climb higher than you fell.

     On a dark and dreary Friday, the day that Jesus had hung in excruciating pain on that crucifix, He had hope.  When the Holy Ghost had left Him, He was completely alone.  Yet, He still had hope.  Jesus died an incredibly lonely and painful death-- even God, His Father, hadn't talked to His Son for a time!  On Sunday, though, an angel had proclaimed "Why see ye the living among the dead" (Luke 24:5)?  He hoped-- He knew-- that He would witness glory in three days' time.  He had preached it to all!
    
     In the words of a church leader some time ago,

"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come" (Wirthlin).

      If you seemed to have misplaced your hope, lean on a friend.  Their words may help you find it again.