Cultivate Hope

To hope is to expect, to anticipate, or look forward to. Cultivate a hopeful attitude by assuming there is Power for good in this universe, and you are choosing to cooperate with it. 
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian (Path of Wonder: A Meditator's Guide to Advent)

In this time of the Christian tradition of Advent, the four weeks before Christmas, instead of just focusing on shopping and getting, we can create a more spiritual journey through this time. This is a time of year when several different spiritual traditions celebrate the coming of the light of love and peace. In her book, Path of Wonder, Yogacharya O'Brian offers us daily teachings and practices that can transform this time of the year for all of us, no matter what religious tradition or no tradition that we espouse. In the first week she shares about hope. This is a difficult time in the world and many of us are worried about the future. Our hearts ache for those who are suffering all over the world. Our hearts ache because of the social divisions that seem to be getting wider and wider in our own country. It can be a difficult time for those who are alone or have family issues.
Yogacharya says, "Cultivate a hopeful attitude." Rather than being pulled down into the depths of despair, if we assume there is a Power for good, we can remain hopeful and serve life from that place; bringing the light within into the world. She encourages us to "Feel or imagine that life supports you...Notice what it is like to consciously choose to be hopeful."