Hope is...a knowing

It always amazed me during my years of teaching how I would come up with the perfect lesson to teach, and yet I would invariably gain a more perfect insight from the children at some point during or after that perfect lesson.

The writing lesson on hope was no exception. I had already written mine with the lesson plan; Hope, to me, is that light within each of us that knows with unspoken certainty that life is a blessing, dancing with the strength and courage to look ahead for more.

Our class read Hope is an Open Heart, by Lauren Thompson. We discussed the concept for personal meaning. We individually defined it and gave it a color, illustrated it and posted it in the hallway, hoping to pass along our thought to inspire others.

During this lesson on hope and the reading of the book, the children gasped at the page that read, Hope is a heart that is open to the world around you. It was as though the innocence that we are all born with, the wisdom, the connection to God, lit up in their faces, as they understood what I had tried to explain when I said, “Something bigger than you, but that is a part of us all!” I wanted to get up and hug them all as one big world.

Here is that wisdom, insight, and innocence of eight year olds;

Hope is something that comes from your heart, something or someone that you love.

Hope is joy from the heart that helps other people.

Hope means that you have faith in something or someone. It means you care about other people.

Hope is knowing when things get bad, they’ll get better.

Hope is something that you want but you don’t have it, and maybe you can get it sometime, but not for a while.

Hope is love, happiness, and bad stuff in a better way.

Hope is not bad, it is when something goes wrong, something better will happen.

Hope to me would mean determination…never giving up a dream, even if someone tells you to.

Sometimes hope means tears.

Hope is love that’s in your heart that shows you care.

Hope means to me that you try your best and think positive thoughts.

Hope is the change in life.

Hope is something you can count on no matter what.

Hope is knowing that people are willing to help, no matter what.

Hope is like wishing for the better, not the worse…and you should always think for the better.

Hope is love, giving, and what is in your heart.

Hope is a very important word to people who are sick or have had devastation.

Hope means that you never, ever give up on something or someone.

Hope is when people think something horrible has happened and that they can still do something.

4/12/11