While I was working on this week’s essay, and wondering how I was possibly going to balance hope with what my eyes were witnessing, there it was, two demonstrations of hope. First the Monks Walk for Peace from Texas to Washington DC. It is beautiful to witness as humanity shows up to cheer them on.
I observe the crowds that are there to greet them at each stop; People are showing up, following them as they walk, and listening to the message. Their hearts are being touched by the walk, the authenticity of message and the thoughtfulness of a journey that brings the vibration of inner peace, love and respect to all things
And then, I listened to Dolly Parton’s newest release of a song entitled “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”. Sometimes hope is there in songs, or in the actions of those bringing love and mindfulness to the world.
We live in a world that is constantly in movement. Each moment is an opportunity to be infused with mindfulness and the components of love, like kindness, generosity, and helping your neighbor.
So perhaps we can focus more time to create more love, hope and peace in our lives and others by being mindful of our own actions and reactions. Perhaps we can see the motivation of the Monks and their sacrifice for the whole and allow it to lift us up.
Maybe we can add a practice of starting our morning or ending our evenings in connection to the sacred in ourselves, to the sacred in all things. To know that even though I may appear to be alone, I am connected to all that is. The Shamanic path is one that teaches that all things are connected. It is lived experientially in the knowing that all in the web of life are connected. The action of the one affect all. You are not powerless in the moment, all actions affect the web of life, even the small ones, including an action as simple as mindfulness. You know, living hope while witnessing its opposite is a defiant act, an act of love.
Balancing living hope with living the everyday asks you to adjust, to stay present, and connect to your sacred. This is a counterbalance to the visuals our eyes see, and our ears hear.
Our eyes and ears are portals to us; so monitor yourself, and counterbalance. Balance your intake. Remember you have the capacity to live as a divine being, maybe not a Monk, maybe not that level of intense study and commitment, rather a commitment to keep coming back to hope, love, and mindfulness in the face of its opposite.
Demonstrate and look up to a higher vibration to counterbalance the fear. Replace a fearful thought with a hopeful thought. Allow your mind to live in a more hopeful frame and actively visualize it.
You can be informed and keep mindful boundaries. This protects you and your mind, while minimizing the stories of fear you might tell yourself. Each time you go into a story of fear, and a story is different than being in actual danger, you limit your possibilities and it might cause you to act in a way that is the opposite of love. Choose practices that bring love, the good out in you.
As a former battle worn expert at trial, I have seen what fear does firsthand, it makes good people do out of their mind actions. So, pause and become present to the emotions fear produces, to the tricks it may play with your mind. If needed learn tools to manage your mind.
Fear and Hope can’t live in the same thought. A tool from the New Thought movement of study which has its roots in the 19th century is to replace the old thought with a new one. Yes, it takes practice. And mindfulness combined with tools of new thought can help you manage your mind in such a way as it supports you rather than scares you.
Your mind is its own river of thoughts. Mindfulness produces the ability to see the world, and not be the world, to lift yourself up through practice and grace. To live in a way, you don’t later regret.
I encourage you to take a mindfulness moment as well as to infuse yourself often with the antidote of hope, to take the steps needed to create time for both, oddly enough it might just create more time for you to be available and present for those you truly care about as well as better choices and decisions coming from grounded space.
I leave you with HOPE, and the poetry of Robert Longley and the lyrics of Dolly Parton.
"There is Still Hope" as long as there is wonder and willingness to change futures may be altered and courses rearranged as long as there are dreamers who see a future bright we know that there is promise that will let us sleep at night it might not happen quickly or through the course of days but you will start to see changes in often subtle ways you simply need the feeling of hope within your heart and trust things will get better to let the magic start. ~ Robert Longley
"Light of a Clear Blue Morning" It's been a long dark night And I've been a waitin' for the morning It's been a long hard fight But I see a brand new day a dawning I've been looking for the sunshine You know I ain't seen it in so long But everything's gonna work out just fine And everything's gonna be all right That's been all wrong 'Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning I can see the light of a brand new day I can see the light of a clear blue morning Oh, and everything's gonna be all right It's gonna be okay ~ Dolly Parton
You can find the full version of the song on YouTube or another medium. I leave you with hope and send love and blessings. Take care of yourself out there and thanks for listening or reading.
~ Kay
© Copyright L. Kay Smith 2026 - Used with Permission
Photography: #WalkforPeace
