"Hope: Why I refuse to give up"
Terry Wolfe
Hope, what does hope mean? The definition, as listed in the dictionary is:
hope
noun - 1. a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
2. a feeling of trust.
verb - want something to happen or be the case.
Hope is a powerful sensation. It can give strength to those in dark times. It can be what pushes someone to work toward something bigger than themselves when they can’t see the end of the tunnel. The more I sat and thought about it, the more I realized that hope is all some people have. They have gotten to a place so dark in their lives that they need that hope, that inspiration to drive them forward. In this ten part series I will be meeting with people from all walks of life to see what hope means to them, and how they feel we can best hold on to hope and stay focused on making this world a better place for all. Not just those in power, or those with privilege, but for every single person. For it is when we come together that we are at our best, not when we focus on us versus them. I will start this off with answering these questions I have posed to all that participated in this.
Who are you?
My name is Terry Wolfe. I’m a headshot and portrait photographer based out of Dallas, Texas. I have a love for capturing the world around me. For creating inspiration for people and helping them to aspire to become more than they ever thought they could.
What does hope mean to you?
Hope is the embodiment of our desire for a better tomorrow. Hope drives us to be better than we were the day before. Hope fuels us when times seem dark, but we long and know there is a better brighter tomorrow. Hope keeps us going when everything around us is telling us to quit. Hope is a powerful emotion that can bring about amazing change.
Why do you refuse to give up hope?
I have seen the good in peoples hearts. I know that if we just stand together and fight against oppression and bigotry that we will be stronger for it. Hope will drive that perseverance to keep fighting for what is right. Hope will guide us to doing what is good for all, not just for the few that get to make the rules. I refuse to give up hope because without hope, you leave room for despair, and that doesn’t help bring about change.
What is one piece of advice you would give to those that are struggling to hold on to their hope?
Don’t give in! If you can hold on to just a fraction of hope in your heart and use that to push toward educating, enlightening, loving, and helping those around you then you will find that you have a power in you that you don’t yet see. Despair wins when hope dies.