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hope.

they don't tell you, but faith is the easy part.

science is great because these really smart people do hours and hours of research to prove things. but not every person has that kind of time.

so we have faith. we have opinions, beliefs, and thoughts; with fidelity and loyalty we hold strong to them even if there is not evidence of proof. we're good at opinions. a lot of the time, nothing can thwart our point of view. people can shove proof down our throats, but we'll still hold true to what we think.

(just look at those anti-vaccine moms.)

but hope.

hope is the true struggle.

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to have the belief and opinions, and to look forward with reasonable confidence. to ignore the arguments, the negative voices in your head. to press on toward the future you expect and want.

some people don't see it, so to them, it must not be true. but you believe it at your very core without a single sight of evidence. and more importantly, you reach for the day that they are proven wrong.

to hope is to wait patiently. hope is the antitheses of argument. when someone is confident and full of hope, they do not feel the desire to convince joe down the street.

sure, you will defend and hold strong, but you will not waste time on frivolous debates. you know, you believe, and so you will wait.

hope that things will get better. hope that dark will turn to light. hope that nightmares will cease. wait, hold strong, persevere.

keep the faith and hope for the reality that is to come.

metaphor.

Picture a tree.

There's a thick, tough trunk. It supports branches that later bear blossoms and fruit. It holds leaves; constantly soaking up sunlight.

There are also roots. Roots that stretch and grow to collect water and nutrients. Roots are hidden, deep deep under the Earth. Not because they aren't valuable -- it is just the opposite. They're safe there.

There are strong trunks holding the weight of the world on their shoulders; fighting against the wind. There are roots ignoring fame and glory to nourish through summer and comfort through winter.

There are trunks and there are roots. They are different. They are separate. They are equal.

You can have roots without trunks and trunks without roots. But the happiest world has both.

Roots can strengthen trunks but they'll always be roots.

Trunks can renew energy to the roots, but they can't switch places.

There's different jobs to be done. We need both.

Do your job the best you can. Find happiness in your success. Reach, grow, improve.

You are not better or worse. You have a job. A noble, divine role. It's not the same as theirs, and it's supposed to be that way.