Keep hope alive

These three remain: faith, hope and love - 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton attempted the first land crossing of Antarctica. But his ship, the Endurance, got stuck in ice and was crushed. Shackleton and his 27-member crew were stranded 1,200 miles from civilisation, drifting on ice floes with just three rickety lifeboats, a few tents and limited provisions. Eventually they reached a small island and waited while Shackleton and a handful of men took one of the lifeboats 800 miles over tumultuous seas to a whaling station.

Shackleton returned with a rescue ship, and every man survived the 18-month ordeal. How did he keep everybody's hopes alive?

First, he modelled optimism. Shackleton, who described optimism as 'true moral courage', always believed that he and his crew would survive, and he spread that optimism to everyone around him.

Second, he nurtured their sense of significance. He kept everyone involved by seeking their opinions and giving them tasks that made them feel like they were part of the solution.

Third, he encouraged them. He used humour and promoted a lighthearted atmosphere. Shackleton recognised that under extreme pressure, the ability to lighten the mood neutralises fear and enables people to focus, re-energise, and prevail over daunting obstacles.

Isn't it interesting that one of the few items Shackleton rescued from the sinking ship was a crewman's banjo? He did it so the group could have music. Shackleton was a prime example of how one person can keep hope alive. If you know someone who's in the middle of a difficult trial, your words of kindness and love, your confidence in them, your ability to lighten their load, can keep hope alive.

Hope- my favourite thing. I will never forget the long lecture that my doctor...Dr Lee, took the time to give me, when i was sitting in his office bawling my eyes out, after telling him everything that i had been through, during the previous 18 months. This was about 6 days after i had quit P...it was the first day that i managed to drag myself out of bed. I only dragged myself out of bed, because i knew i had to get to a doctor for help.

He used the word HOPE...about a hundred times. I will never forget his words and kindness, and his concern for me that day...when it seemed to me, that no one else cared about me. For weeks afterwards, he made sure his nurse phoned me to make sure i was ok.

Hope. If there was hope for me back then...there will always be hope. It's always there.

Except for Auckland rush hour traffic...that is beyond hope! haha