“The Thing with Feathers”

America has become a country of cynics. At least, that’s what studies show. From the tenuous bonds that connect us with one another to the ever-present vulnerability we share as humans in a chaotic world, our lives are forever saturated in the possibility of catastrophe. Tragic things happen to people every single day. We know this, yet we are tasked with finding ways of moving forward in a world where nothing is guaranteed.

We need more of The Lord of the Ring’s Samwise Gamgee, “Where there’s life, there’s hope.”

The topic of hope is low-hanging fruit for pop culture and even politics. But hope is also beginning to reveal its value in scientific studies. Greater degrees of hope are associated with improved coping, well-being, and engagement in healthy behaviors. It also protects against depression and suicide. Hope is a shield and a path

“Hope is one of the strongest predictors of well-being. It helps improve the immune system and aids recovery from illness,” Chan Hellman, director of The Hope Research Center at the U of Oklahoma, reports. While optimism is the belief that the future will be better, hope is the belief “that we have the power, [or there is a power] to make it so.”

People who feel hopeful are good problem-solvers, more resilient and persistent, more engaged and productive at work, more creative and adaptable, and better at recovering from adversity. For these reasons and others, inculcating more hope in ourselves means we’re better equipped to handle problems and enjoy life more.

Since hope is an essential component of our well-being, how can we increase it in our lives?

One simple practice: each day, talk about or write down one good thing someone else did. Maybe it’s the teenager who helped a woman carry her groceries, the man on a plane who played peek-a-boo with a stranger’s baby for an entire flight, or the clerk who treated you with unexpected kindness. If you do this daily, you’ll start noticing these moments more often. It’s similar to keeping a gratitude journal—and the two practices can easily overlap.

Research hope. Just google quotes about it, read a few articles. Easy to find, easy to do, takes whatever time you have, or want to spend, doing it.

Another great game of hope is Silver Linings. Think of something that went wrong and find the silver lining. You missed your bus, but you got some exercise trying not to.

“No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won’t make it worse.” said Jeffrey R. Holland. So practice looking for the silver lining, even if you just ponder some made up situations and find silver linings in hypotheticals. After all, “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” (John Wooden)

When the ring is finally destroyed, Frodo and Sam face death as Mordor’s destruction swirls around them, soon to engulf them. But Sam (of the “where there’s life, there’s hope” mindset) can’t help but guide Frodo up a little knoll, can’t help but look to the north. That hopeful glance (was it the white of his eyes?) from higher ground allows the great eagle to see the two, nearly invisible, small figures. And they are saved.

Unlike Frodo’s and Sam’s, our journeys might not end with eagles swooping down to save us after our last gasp of hope; our quests might not save the world.

But they might.