Hope

By Clay Brantley

Published in House of Hope (May 2019)

Where is the hope?

I look around and

See so many dead ends

With no way forward.

 Where is the hope?

Hunger gnaws all around

People seeking food, meaning, connection.

Where can we get enough?

  Where is the hope?

Crisis after crisis

Earth screams in storms and droughts

People uproot and flee their homes

Addictions upon addictions

Just to numb the pain.

Where is the hope?

I saw a flower today.

I looked deep within its petals

And saw life whispering look.

Look deeper.

To look too deep

Is to see life and death

Here today, gone tomorrow.

To look too deep

Is to see one flower in a huge world

Simply standing where it is.

  To look too deep

Is to see the hunger and crises

Loneliness and pain and deep grief.

But it is in the deep looking

Into the flower

Or the eyes of a child

Or the soul of a lover

Or the migrant whose hand you shake

Or the drug addict’s shame-filled glance

Or your own reflection in the mirror

  You will find hope

If you keep looking, keep looking.

Don’t turn away.

The dead ends are not really so dead

Even the hopeless places have small flowers.

And a little child shall lead us.

Retreat House has published 7 books in their House of series. To find out more about this series, email Gretchen Martens. To purchase one of the books, go to our online store.

Rev. Dr. Clay Brantley is a board member and director at Retreat House. You can contact him here.