Hope

     Hope comes in when a future situation is not a sure thing but still a possibility.  Hope allows us to ease our fears and become optimistic.  If we have some control over the outcome and make plans to achieve a goal, hope may increase our odds toward success.
     If the situation is out of our control, we need to be realistic about the odds.  When something is practically impossible,  hope may cause us to live in the comfort of fantasy to the point of being in denial.  Shock may set in when things don't work out as we'd hoped.
     Some people have false hopes throughout their lives.  They fashion their thoughts based on wishes and dreams that are highly unlikely, and in some cases what they hope for may or may not be good for them or those around them.  Reality may be too difficult or painful to face.  They may be living in a dream world.
     We all may need to evaluate what we are hoping for.  The future may be more out of our control than we realize.  As we anticipate what we want to come next, we need to know that hoping won't make it so.