Where is the Virtue of Hope?

What are the expectations of life that have become real in the unbelievable turmoil of life for so many? As we watch the statistics of suicides among too many people that should not have been happening are mysterious to the rest of humanity that simply eludes our senses. My own grandson is among those at a young age who somehow gave up on life. Placing a premise that these unfortunate relatives and friends seem to have had a loss of faith and especially didn’t understand the virtue of hope is erroneous. Unless any one of us can get into their heads and analyze their own thoughts to give up, we are at a loss to understand what demon that exuded a reason to keep on with life.

Perhaps the continuous requirement of being busy with education, work-place demands, or the very day to day expectations can take a toll on all of us. There may be many that cannot meet the expected demand of society that places a dim view on those who fail in that realm.

St. Paul described the theme of love and concluded the narrative with the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. (1 Cor 13: 13). We might want to dissect the impact of these virtues that remain with the depth of what is needed today in trying to follow the essence of Jesus’s directives of belief. Each one has a tremendous place within our minds and hearts that need to be looked at with their impact for us to understand. This does not mean that any or all of those who lost hope didn’t have an understanding of these attributes. There is no doubt many ramifications that entered their lives that even Psychiatrists might not be able to discern completely.

Into the lives of each of us there can become mysteries that many never expected and the ability to discern an impact on a daily trek through life. This can create an effect on our ability to cope realistically, but those who are not in that same arena will have a more problematic existence. Recognizing the dilemma that may trap some who have lost hope is not easy to critique.

If only we could understand what has entered the minds of pre-suicide individuals might just give the rest of us a step towards helping them cope. Nevertheless, the numbers of daily suicides can behoove our sense of concern for those we love and cannot believe the news that one has committed suicide. The death of my grandson, age 21, was a terrible shock to my love for him.

All we could do was to pray to God that he will take all of this confusion of his children into consideration for their immortal souls. I know he will!

Ralph B. Hathaway