Your existence gives me hope - part 2
Last week I was walking in San Francisco, hurrying about to see interesting things before my trip home the next day. I came across a message spray painted on the sidewalk. I didn't have a camera but here is an example found on Flickr:
I looked at it for about 5 seconds and kept walking. But the message stayed with me. I repeated the words in my head and it made me feel good each time I did. I kept thinking about it as I walked around, wondering who put the message there and why.
The words stayed with me a few days, each time I'd think them I'd have pleasant thoughts. I imagined a person touched by the unexpected kind actions of another. I imagined the happiness of someone being told they inspired someone else. I imagined someone grateful for another person but too shy to say so. I imagined people who inspired me and others. I imagined that I was filling someone with hope just by being me.
Everything I imagined was nice, everything made me connected and happy.
I began to think the message's only purpose was to inspired happy thoughts. And for me it did. I think the mystery was a big part of it. Why this message and to whom? The mystery kept me thinking about it. And it was nice.
So I decided to post the same message without explanation or comments so that you would read it and maybe wonder about happy things for little while. I hope it worked.
Posted May 3, 2007 5:29 PM
Comments
powerful words: simple, but stright to the heart
Giuseppe, May 3, 2007 7:10 PM
I'm really glad you posted it that way. The message stopped my in my tracks. I paused... thought a bit... followed the link to your blog just to make sure nothing was broken... kept thinking. It worked for me.
Take care,
-Brian
Brian Dorsey, May 3, 2007 7:12 PM
Your existence gives me herpes.
Ronnie, May 5, 2007 12:00 PM
Sorry to take a more negative view, but I wonder if the original intent was sarcastic, i.e:
"The fact that someone as dumb as you is still alive at all means that maybe I can get somewhere in life."
?
David A, May 18, 2007 4:35 AM
Your post leaves me with a nice feeling. ^^
Yann, July 3, 2008 12:15 AM
“Some times ur existence gives hope to one person,
Your smile may be a pearl for someone,
Your presence might be the desire of the 1 who loves U dearly.
So value yourself.”
Anonymous, July 17, 2008 7:58 AM
i think this in my mind and heart all the time....about my Creator and Savior Jesus...my circumstances are constantly changing, and my hope sways with them...until remembering His existence
Andy, September 13, 2008 6:04 PM
I was feeling pretty wobbly this morning and Googled "hope". This was a nice find. Thank you for thinking about the message and also for sharing it.
Candice, August 31, 2009 12:33 PM
I just lost my girlfirend, and who I concider my future wife, and I am having a hard time getting through, so I googled hope, and I feel that this was posted just for me to find in this exact second. It is a reminder to me that I can never give up, and she will always be there for me to find again.
Anonymous, November 21, 2009 12:28 PM
YOUR EXISTENCE GIVES ME HOPE
Helen Ehmann, April 8, 2010 5:48 PM
it really reminds me of my originality!! there's nothing negative that can be thought about this message....my dearest person isn't talking to me.... hope he does asap!!!cuz HIS EXISTENCE INDEED GIVES ME HOPE!!!! all of us are an inspiration for somebody or the other....:)what say!!!
Anonymous, April 11, 2010 1:44 PM
I don't know if this blog is still active, but I found this while googling for images of "HOPE" to use in response to a story recently posted on "Post Secret.com".
Someone had mailed in that they were planning on jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge this summer, and I find it nothing short of amazing and beautiful that 3 years later, this is the 2cd picture that comes up on the google image search for HOPE, and that it's even from San Fransico.
I won't use the picture, since it's yours, but I wanted to let you know if you wanted to post the picture to a very relevant cause, here is the FB page created for the person who sent in the postcard. http://www.facebook.com/pleasedonotjump
Thank you. For some reason, this gives me true hope in the Universe.
Teressa, June 16, 2010 8:58 PM
I typed in Hope photo and this came up. No greater image for today. Thank you.
Shawn Boreta, July 16, 2010 10:48 AM
Simply, all I wanted to say is...Thank you.
Paula, August 30, 2010 2:24 AM
hope
bazz m, September 2, 2010 2:27 AM
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