Faith

     Faith comes in when we believe without proof.  Like hope, faith allows us to ease our fears.  As children, we usually believe what our family considers true.  As we grow up, we are exposed to other opinions, some quite different from our family's.  Many adults still hold fast to their original beliefs.  They have faith in  their scriptures, interpreters of scriptures, their religion, and God.  They also have faith in  their ability to know the truth.
     Some adults, however, begin to put more trust in scientific evidence and logic.  They learn to live with the unknown and the unanswered questions.  They may retain their religious beliefs but at the same time dismiss dogma that conflicts with scientific evidence.
     Many ideas will never be proven by science, but we all need to have faith in our abilities to make sense of the world. 

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. 

Weight-Bearing

    
     Many of us who have experienced pain from our knees and hips have to face the fact that bearing the weight of our bodies is becoming difficult.  No longer can we hop out of bed in the morning and move on as usual with our lives.  MRIs give us even more info that our joints are showing signs of aging.  We now have to form a strategy to try and regain the mobility that we once took for granted.
     Our minds can also experience emotional pain from bearing the weight of stress and worry.  Some of the stress is self-imposed when we expect too much from ourselves.  Other stress may come from outside sources, situations beyond our control, or caused by other people.  Our strategies of  handling stress can make us stronger, but often the weight of the problems we must bear can interfere with our emotional and physical health.
     The physical body will eventually wear out, and in some cases the mind will also deteriorate.  As we age, we hope to keep our health as long as possible.  At every age, we just have to cope with what life brings and hope for the best. 

Distortion

     Distortions are made for many reasons.  Caricatures and cartoons make it easy to recognize famous people, and some are even enjoyed by the person depicted.  Other drawings are made to be demeaning and insulting and are only enjoyed by viewers who already dislike the person.
     The written word can also be distorted to perpetuate negative thoughts.  Rumors, exaggerations, and outright lies may be used to fan the flames of hate.
     Perhaps an emotional high is obtained when people see pictures or words attack the "enemy."  Perhaps it is easier to think about what you are against than what you are for.  Often when people vote for a candidate, they are actually just voting against the opposition.
     Distortions are just shortcuts to validate what you already think.  Your emotions go into high gear and you actually get a kick out of seeing someone look ridiculous.  Especially at this time in history, we need to respect each other and try to understand all aspects of the issues.   Distortions make it difficult to see the real picture.

Imagine Being Without

     Part of appreciating what you have is imagining being without important aspects of your life.  Imagine you were born:
1) In another country
2) Speaking another language
3) Of another race
4) With another religion or no religion at all
5) Into poverty
6) To an unwed mother
7) As a homosexual
8) With health problems
9) Without health insurance
     Any one of these challenges would have seriously affected your entire life.  When we can get our narrow minds to widen just a bit and realize what we have been given by our country and our parents, only then can we truly feel empathy with what life is like for other people different from ourselves.  What a privilege to have good parents who gave us what we needed financially, emotionally, and morally, and who accepted us and nurtured us to be educated, responsible, and empathetic.  Most of us were truly lucky from day one.  We cannot take full credit for what we are today even though we have worked hard and provided a good life for our families.  Let us not feel superior to those born in less "privileged" situations.