I hope that you will… | Wildwood Wisdom

I hope that you will…

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Author: Kimberly

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I recently had the privilege of participating in a

I recently had the privilege of participating in a meeting with chaplains who are looking for ways to offer spiritual care, especially to people experiencing despair in a climate changed world. When talking about how to offer hope, thoughtful leaders a few decades younger than I shared that the current generation often experiences the word HOPE as something akin to toxic positivity. Toxic positivity refers to cultural expectations that we maintain a pseudo-optimistic outlook while denying truths about abuses of power, systematic oppression and intersectional injustice.

As one generally allergic to Pollyanna positivity, I whole heartedly agree that hope is toxic when it suppresses authentic feelings, discourages honest communication, oversimplifies complex issues and neutralizes engaged action.

Yes, and – I want to lift up how I experience hope. For me, hope is more than optimism or wishful thinking. And hope is anything but toxic positivity. Active hope is the seed of change.

I’ve experienced the power of active hope in my own life as a queer person of faith.

Once upon a time I had hope that I could live fully actualized in all spheres of my life, without having to choose between faith and authenticity.

If I’d lingered too long in (valid) despair, nothing would have changed for me. Hope moved me into action. Active hope is the seed of change.

For me, active hope is intertwined with the belief that change is relational and it requires partnering with the Divine (however we may understand Her). So, with the hope that we humans will change how we treat our common home, the earth, I set myself on the path to learning how I can invite people into renewed relationship with the sacred in and through the natural world.

Read the full blog post by following the link in my bio.

#advent #hope #toxicpositivity #rewilding #untamed #ecospirituality

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