A truth haiku in response to Haiku This! prompt: Hope
Hope — how God entraps
humans, believing in light
when all is darkness
The sentiment of my haiku is certainly not what I think Sherry Kappel was considering when she wrote this Haiku This! prompt:
However, I will argue that hope is antenatal disappointment.
In my life, disappointment is the most devastating of feelings — more tragic than grief, more empty than loss.
Disappointment wouldn’t exist without hope. Hope, I believe, is mostly a creation of faith and religion. We believe in the innate goodness of some supreme being who has our back, who wants us to succeed, who is the essence of goodness.
I also believe that supernatural hope removes the responsibility of stewardship and compassion from humans. We can be as dastardly as we wish and hope that all will turn out well. Much like a reprobate obtaining forgiveness and a promise of heaven on his deathbed.
Of course, someone may claim that religion is not the source for hope but I argue differently. Someone may also say hope doesn’t have to spring from religion but I believe most hope is, fundamentally, rooted in religion and spiritual faith.
If one is blinded suddenly, the best approach is to accept the blindness as a current state of being. Perhaps, it will heal. Probably, not. Accept the darkness while looking for light. If the light doesn’t come, you won’t be disappointed.
