Hope awakens courage. He who can implant courage in the human soul is the best physician.
Karl von Knebel
Hope is the light that keeps us going, letting us know that the long, dark tunnel of disappointment will not last forever. It is this very optimism that motivates us to get out of bed every morning. Hope may mean different things to different people. For some, it may be some event, some occasion, or even some divine intervention to look forward to. Others may see it as something contingent upon their own efforts. However, the one common thread that binds these different shades of hope is the expectation of a positive change. It may or may not be backed by reason, but this anticipation is often enough to give humans a new lease of life amidst not-so-promising circumstances.
That is why we can always help someone in need: if not by helping them solve their issues, then by showing them that ray of light. You never know how the hope ignited by you in someone can spur them on to do great things in their life. This is because hope is often the precursor to courage – a trait that often gets shrouded by despair when things are not going our way. When reawakened and reignited, this courage is enough to dispel all doubts and misgivings. It is as though hope were the sun and courage its gleaming rays, which drive away all negativity and melancholy.
That is why healing someone’s battered soul is both as important and challenging as curing someone’s physical injuries. In fact, lesions on the body are easy to locate and can often be cured with medication or surgery. What, however, takes a lot of effort and patience is mastering the art of teaching someone to live again. The noted German poet and translator, Karl von Knebel, once commented: “Hope awakens courage. He who can implant courage in the human soul is the best physician.”