Once I came across a painting. The painting had bold strokes with contradictory colour patterns, depicting swarms of people, some of whom were struggling to float in an Ocean and some were gasping for breath. But all of them raised their hands towards the sky, trying to reach an unnatural golden hand coming from the above. The title of the painting was ‘HOPE’. This particular painting stirred in me storm of questions. Not only it made me question the depiction of ‘Hope’ but also made me see a vital point to the depiction.
A very important aspect indeed, especially when I realized that it is not at all about the heavenly ‘HOPE’ but it is more about how we see ‘HOPE’. Yes! Our hopes are mainly dependent on others, our lover, friends, families, relatives and when every human intervention fails then its God. In this section of Hope, we include everyone but not ourselves. Where is the Self ? Can we see that'Self' during our daily lives ? What if that 'Self' is the actual 'Hope', we search in our life's struggles?
But how can we see our own-selves as our hope, until we accept ourselves, the way we are. Acceptance is the first thing! accepting our tendencies, insecurities, our past, our emotions, our failures, our successes, our lives. Once we accept everything that is in us and with us only then we can see, feel and realise the 'Hope'. Self-Compassion is the first step to seek the real 'Hope'.
Compassion for the self is that boat which can sail you through the dark stormy nights of life. Compassion brings that self out which is strong and unshakable. Instead of searching externally for a support system, let us find it within. As, when you find it within, you automatically become secure and peaceful.
The hope lies there, making ourselves so impenetrable that we get the ability to overcome every hurdles that nature might throw at us. But we should always keep one thing in mind, that it is only the acceptance of our weaknesses that makes us a strong individual. It is the connection with the self that teaches us the true essence of life.