Last weekend, we observed the first Sunday of Advent by lighting the first candle on the Advent wreath at church. Each of the four candles on the wreath has symbolic meaning, with the first representing hope. We all need something to hope for, so today’s Simple Living Sunday post is a simple list of 10 things that give me hope. Will you help me add to the list?

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

Desmond Tutu

Three simple pleasures and highlights

Continuing my practice of celebrating the simple things in life, here are three simple pleasures and highlights of the last week.

• Colleen and I went for a visit with Laura last weekend so I could drop off her Advent calendar, along with some homemade soup and other food that I had in the freezer for her.
• At the end of the week, I made a quick trip to Chicago to attend a meeting. It’s always energizing to spend time with other people in my professional association and to hear their ideas.
• During my trip to Chicago, we went out for dinner in Rosemont. The Christmas light display there is beautiful.

This week’s simple living focus: Things that give me hope

For Christians, Advent is a time of hope and prayerful anticipation as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. It’s an opportunity to be still and reflect, something that is at odds with all the busyness and stress of most of our Christmas preparations.

As we prepare to wrap up another challenging year, it would be so easy to despair at all the challenges our world is facing these days. But, if we open our eyes, there are many reasons to be hopeful.

Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it.

Barrack Obama

10 things that give me hope

Here’s my list of 10 simple things that give me hope right now. You’ll see that none of these things are magical or revolutionary. The point is, there is always something to be hopeful about, no matter how small. I find hope in…

• People performing acts of charity and kindness in the world.
• Thoughtful posts from intelligent young bloggers and writers.
• The knowledge that spring will follow winter, and the spring flowers will be ready to make their appearance when the time is right.
• The thriving coleus plants on my front window ledge that grew from the tiny seeds I planted last winter.
• A new journal with lots of blank pages to capture all the good things that 2023 will bring.
• My daughters who are just starting to make their way in the world.
• In just over two weeks, we’ll start to get a tiny bit of additional daylight every day.
• Seeing people much older than me achieving great things.
• All the learning and knowledge that I can take advantage of every day—literally at my fingertips.
• The fact that I’m in good health overall.

He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope has everything.

Thomas Carlyle

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To do this week

This simple exercise lifted my spirits and was an important reminder that there is much to be hopeful about.

This week, challenge yourself to make your own list. Grab a blank piece of paper and take 10 minutes to write down all the things you can think of that give you hope. Put the list where you can see it every day.

As Christmas gets closer, I hope you’ll have the opportunity to be still and reflect. For tips on how to reduce the stress of the holiday season, you might enjoy this post: Say no to stress! 12 tips for a simple Christmas.

What’s on your list of things that give you hope? Tell me your thoughts below.