While there is hope there is life

It has been said that while there is life there is hope.  But without hope life is mere existence; even a rock exists.

Is a person without hope able to love and create?

While there is hope, there is life worth living.

If reason is what makes us human, perhaps hope is what makes us humane?

Hope and purpose keep us striving against reason and seemingly insurmountable odds; they keep us good humoured and compassionate in the face of adversity; they fuel us to be inquisitive and creative; they encourage us to take risks.

Hope is what fills the void when we fear that God^[1] does not care or does not exist, and that this life is all we have.

A person without hope is an exile from the celebration of humanity.

Human suffering^[2] is acceptable only in a context of hope - the realistic hope that you will be able to improve your lot^[3] and realise at least a part of your purpose and aspirations.

Hope is our lifeblood.  It is resilient yet extinguishable, and there are many on this planet who exist without it.

'How do we nurture hope, and what can we do^[4] to make it more plentiful and less unevenly shared?' That is the question that lies at the heart of this work.