Hope: The Enlightened Mind
Following on from last month when we spoke about Change: I want to focus on the letter H and look at hope. Hope is a positive word, something to cling onto when all seems bleak. Hope can be defined as a wish, a belief or trust. Many will say “I hope you’re feeling better soon” to someone who is unwell and in doing so are wishing them well. There are many stories of people who have overcome what seem to be insurmountable odds because they have that trust or hope that they will do so.
The famous song, “You’ll never walk alone”, sung by supporters of football clubs, such as Liverpool, Glasgow Celtic and Borussia Dortmund, features the line, “walk on with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone”.
What is this song saying about hope? As a Liverpool supporter I had always associated it with just being a song sung at the match. It was only after the tragedy of the Hillsborough disaster on 15th April 1989 that I saw it in a different light. The morning after the disaster I went to church and the priest said the next hymn to be sung was not usually thought of as a hymn but we were to sing it with that thought in mind. He began singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and the words really resonated with me as though I was hearing them for the very first time.
When you remove the connection to football it’s a song all about hope.
When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of the lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone you’ll never walk alone
When we are in the eye of a storm or one of life’s dramas we may feel that there is no way out or any sign of light. This song reminds us that we can move forward into a better place, that it’s important to have that hope of better times ahead.
Why let the song’s connection to certain football teams take away the meaning of those positive words. None of us really walk alone, there is always someone there whether we can see them or not to help us share the walk of life.
Hope you are able to come to our next healing day Saturday 24th June from 10 until 2pm at Crosby Library.
Paul- The Enlightened Mind