Creating Hope
January 2006
Banner photo: Katsuhiro Fujino
Hope During Crisis
Natural disasters, insecurity, occupation and the feeling of being isolated cause deep hurt to people and can cripple societies. But human beings armed with hope are never helpless. People with hope are the strongest agents of change. Hope is as essential to life as food and water. Faith in ourselves and the future helps us go on in the face of disasters and conflicts.
As a Muslim, living in the Middle East, a region boiling with instability and much prejudice and hatred, there is still ample life and love. This is due to a cultural perspective which stems from the belief that we are tested in life through various kinds of difficulties. Culturally, Muslims accept what happens to them and thank God for all that happens, considering it God's will--an opportunity for us to examine ourselves and develop patience, in the knowledge that one's suffering could always be greater.
In the face of disaster one can either remain angry and bitter or exercise patience or acceptance or, the highest and most faithful response, gratitude or appreciation. Without this strong faith, one is more easily overwhelmed and unable to bring forth the hope necessary to change life and bring light to the world. What happens in our crazy world should not cause us to lose hope; rather it should spur us to create a just and fair world; a world free of selfishness.
Life in our world is always worth living, and there are many things that make us happy even in the most difficult conditions. In today's world full of agony and pain, we have no choice but to equip ourselves with the patience and hope that will see us to the safest shore of the lake.
Ziyad Alawneh is a Jordanian sustainable development specialist and environmental activist. He is currently coordinator of the Jordanian government's Integrated Watershed Management Project.
