Litwit Lounge discussion

"Hope is generally a wrong guide, though it is very good company along the way." ~George Savile

Hope is such a favorite theme of mine. I was curious as to how Rhode Island came to choose it for their motto, I found this on Wikipedia:

"The island was a gift from Miantonomi, chief of the Narraganset tribe of North American Indians, to Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island. The word "Hope" is the Rhode Island motto and used on the Rhode Island State Seal with an anchor because Williams was inspired by the Biblical passage "hope is the anchor of the soul" in Hebrews, Verse 6:19.[1]

The anchor of the soul. I don't remember that verse but I love it! Maybe that's why I've always been drawn to it... it keeps me anchored... keeps me going... rather than giving up. Our souls, my soul, needs hope.

And speaking of dreams, that reminds me of another hope quote, it's from Aristotle, "Hope is a waking dream."

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all" ~Emily Dickinson

"In the midst of winter,

I finally discovered that there was in me an invincible summer."

~Albert Camus

It's because of that thing, hope, and I almost resent it, but there it lies, within.

I like this one, because, when writing one just has to write, not try to write.

Write a little every day, without hope, without despair.
Isak Dinesen

It reminds me of “Do or do not, there is no try” (attributed to Yoda)

Hi Jt! I may have first discovered it in a meme. Later, I found the whole poem. I only posted one set of verses above, but here it is in entirety:

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me."

Mark wrote: "I like this one, because, when writing one just has to write, not try to write.

Write a little every day, without hope, without despair.
Isak Dinesen

It reminds me of “Do or do not, there is no t..."

The Isak Dinesen quote is interesting... "without hope, without despair", so basically just write, I think it's saying. I have a couple friends encouraging me to write, and while I don't feel I have any books inside of me, per se, I do have many words to put to paper -- glad you shared it, thanks!