…but Only One Second Without Hope

In the book “A Child’s Garden: A story of Hope,” by Michael Foreman, the story is told of a little boy who lives in a world torn apart by war. One day, after a rain, he sees a little plant pushing its way through the soil. The young boy carefully tends the plant, and in time he recognizes that it is a grapevine. The vine grows up the barbed wire fence that prevents the little boy from going to the hills that he once visited with his father. As it flourishes, the vine soon provides the children in the war zone with a shady place to play.

Then something terrible happens. Soldiers from the other side of the fence pull up the vine and throw it in a ditch. The little boy feels as if his heart is going to break. But not all is lost. Soon the boy sees signs of life on the other side of the fence. Some of the seeds survived and begin to grow. Not long after, green shoots from roots that lived through the soldiers’ destruction begin to appear on his side of the fence as well.

In the midst of the Advent season, this story can serve as a timely reminder of the great gift of hope born on Christmas Day. The young boy’s actions teach us a valuable lesson in faith. The gift of hope is not just a gift to be received, but also a gift to be nurtured and shared.   

Life certainly can be like a war zone at times, which often challenges us to see hope within our daily struggles. But if we look closely we will see the little plant of hope pushing its way through these challenges. It is then that we must take responsibility for nourishing this precious gift; and, in turn, through our efforts, the roots of hope will survive and the seeds of hope will be kept alive, just as the grapevine flourished after the soldiers tried to destroy it.

As we prepare to receive again the gift of hope born on that first Christmas Day, what can you and I do to bring hope to others as did the young boy in the story? Do we believe that when challenges come our way and our hearts begin to break that hope will sustain us? If we do not have hope, what will happen to us? What will happen to our neighbors if we do not take action to spread hope to all in need?  The following quote gives us a clue: “Man can live forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only one second without hope.”—Unknown

Through the grace of God may our eyes be opened so that we may see the beautiful gift of hope through every “war zone” in our lives, and may the Holy Spirit guide us as we nourish this gift and spread hope to all. 

Brenda Hopf is a member of Divine Mercy Parish in Dubois County and also contributes to the “Sharing the Load” column in The Message.