I appreciate the acknowledgment of excesses in our quote. Sometimes it is tempting to say that something like "all we need is more hope..." Sometimes that is true. But sometimes what we need to to get off our hope-horse and start getting to work. I think that true hope never contradicts the realities of the Gospel (even though sometimes we want it to). The man who survived longer than anyone else in a prison camp in Vietnam was said he was able to do so precisely because he was a realist. The "optimists" died first by committing suicide. Great quote.
Ahh! I just posted a long comment and it deleted. LAME!
Anyway, I agree that this is a great quote. I found the last part the most interesting. Mr. Jackson suggests that pain atones, or balances, our excess of hope. I think he's on to something drawing the relationship between hope and pain. Lehi covers the principle of opposition in all things really well in 2 Nephi 2. But, I think that the quote may have it a little backwards. I don't think that hope brings pain. Instead, I think that endurance of pain yields the gift of hope. Just a thought...
I appreciate the acknowledgment of excesses in our quote. Sometimes it is tempting to say that something like "all we need is more hope..." Sometimes that is true. But sometimes what we need to to get off our hope-horse and start getting to work. I think that true hope never contradicts the realities of the Gospel (even though sometimes we want it to). The man who survived longer than anyone else in a prison camp in Vietnam was said he was able to do so precisely because he was a realist. The "optimists" died first by committing suicide.
ReplyDeleteGreat quote.
Ahh! I just posted a long comment and it deleted. LAME!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I agree that this is a great quote. I found the last part the most interesting. Mr. Jackson suggests that pain atones, or balances, our excess of hope. I think he's on to something drawing the relationship between hope and pain. Lehi covers the principle of opposition in all things really well in 2 Nephi 2. But, I think that the quote may have it a little backwards. I don't think that hope brings pain. Instead, I think that endurance of pain yields the gift of hope. Just a thought...