Eco-philosopher David Orr describes hope as “a verb with the sleeves rolled up.”1
We have our eye on the ball, nose to the grindstone, and shoulder to the wheel. It is cumbersome to keep working in that position!
Despite the wonder of mixed metaphors, each of these phrases speaks of focus and not giving in to distraction. They also avoid what the ABC names this morning as “time confetti.”2 On the other hand, the focused task in itself can divert our attention from something important. It can help us avoid something we don’t want to think about.
The 24-hour news cycle suggests plenty of issues we don’t want taking up rental space in our heads. So we choose a diversion. Something else to focus on, a project over which we have some measure of control.
But the idea of hope as a “verb with its sleeves rolled up” causes me to pause. In a world where polarisation and tyranny is gathering speed like a runaway train, expressions of hope seem futile. A children’s book is banned because it “wokenly” depicts a girl who accepts that freckles are part of her individuality.3 I am then tempted to focus on some activity that diverts me from such absurdity. Hope rolls its sleeves up. I can think of richness of diversity in my own context and ways that I can enhance and celebrate it. This is how it’s done!
Some walk the Camino de Santiago to focus in such ways. A pilgrim reports a challenge from a priest in a chapel along the way. “You are light. Go and be light to others.” Hope with its sleeves rolled up!
- https://dailymeditationswithmatthewfox.org/2025/02/16/week-of-february-10-15-2025-fighting-back-despair-honoring-courage/ ↩︎
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-18/time-confetti-is-making-you-work-harder-and-relax-less/104875442 ↩︎
- https://abc17news.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2025/02/17/julianne-moore-says-her-book-about-embracing-differences-was-removed-from-pentagon-run-schools/ ↩︎
Wondering Pilgrim 