(Advent is symbolized by a mother waiting
for the miracle of her baby to be born.
How can a baby, weak and needy,
be a harbinger of hope?)
I believe in hope,
even, especially, on days I don’t,
when dark clouds of despair move in,
fears arise, and storms break.
Even on those days there is something
that sustains me.
I believe in hope,
even, especially, on days I don’t,
when harsh winters do their worst,
loss and misery descend,
and the memory and promise
of a Spring is far away.
I believe that hope can make a difference.
After the storms subside,
which they always do,
we can in time start again, and rebuild.
After the winter passes,
which it always does,
the buds will break forth, flowers will bloom.
And even after the worst of human experience,
mothers will still give birth
and babies will still be born,
warming our hearts, promising a future.
In this hope I believe.