Pride News Canada's Leader In African Canadian & Caribbean News, Views & Lifestyle
By Ettie Rutherford
Contributing Columnist
Every day, it is becoming increasingly clear that our world is desperately in need of hope. The global pandemic, threatening millions of lives, as well as the aftermath of continued racial injustice, leave us not only disillusioned, but also uncertain about the future.
As some might remember, many years ago, when American human rights activist and politician, Jesse Jackson, was at the height of his career, his favorite mantra was “Keep Hope Alive”. So very apt for today’s world.
This is a time when we need to be hopeful, in order to maintain our sanity and not be overwhelmed by the physical and mental challenges that surround us.
Hopefully, we have all realized by now, that negative thinking, yearning after the past, blaming others, or being overcome by stress, will not remove the changes that the world is now facing. However, it is possible that if we are grateful for the positives, which still exist, then we will be better able to see the need for us to be hopeful.
Throughout the ages, it has been declared that people, without hope, eventually become a danger to the community, at large, because, feeling that there is nothing for them to live for, they ultimately pose a danger, not only to themselves, but also to the lives of others, through lawless behavior and/or suicide.
So, let us “keep hope alive” by:
1. Recognizing that life could be much worse.
2. Counting our daily blessings.
3. Using gratitude as the steppingstone to a more positive attitude.
4. Acknowledging the need for positive actions and attitudes; as well as
5. Striving to bring hope to others.
In Sisterhood!
Ettie
Award-winning Ettie Rutherford, B.Ed, Dip.Ed, M.Ed, is an educator, life coach, consultant and author of “Why Perch Like A Chick When You Can Soar Like An Eagle?”. An accomplished public speaker, Ettie is the Founder and CEO of Women Are Worthy, which provides step-by-step strategies for women to achieve their goals, with a minimum amount of stress. She can be reached at ettie@womenrworthy.com
