By Magdalene Ko, Staff Writer
TW: mentions of self-harm
No matter what culture one lives in, a constant virtue is hope. Hope has persevered everywhere, guiding people through hardships and achievements. Now, in a time of confusion and instability, here are some reminders that hope will always prevail.
There are many symbols of hope in the natural world. A common figure of hope is the dove, originating from the story of Noah in the Bible. In the story, Noah spends forty days and forty nights on a boat in the middle of a huge flood. After he lands on a mountain, he sends a dove out to scout for dry land. Several days later, the dove comes back holding an olive branch. Now, the dove is perceived in a myriad of cultures as a sign of revival and starting anew. It is recognized as a sign of a new life and leaving past difficulties behind.
The butterfly is another animal that symbolizes hope for Indigenous tribes. Butterflies were seen as messengers from the gods—if someone caught a butterfly and whispered their greatest wish to it, it would be granted after releasing the butterfly. Therefore, the butterfly is a representation of deep and meaningful wishes. Today, the butterfly has morphed into a symbol for a movement created to stop self-harmers. In every place that one has hurt themselves, they can draw a butterfly on it. If the butterfly fades and “flies” away unhurt, then its life has been saved. The butterfly has become a reminder of self-love and freedom. It’s uniqueness and vitality reminds people to enjoy the small things in life and not take anything for granted.
In Japan, origami cranes (折鶴) embody wishes and peace. It hadn’t always embodied these things though. Its meaning arose when a Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki was hospitalized after the U.S. dropped a bomb on Hiroshima during World War II. Despite thinking she was unhurt, she was diagnosed with leukemia in 1954—almost ten years after the bombings. While she was sick, she remembered the tradition that if one folds a thousand paper cranes, one wish will be granted. She began folding cranes throughout her treatment, resulting in a total of 1,644 cranes. Although Sasaki died a year later, her wish for peace touched many, as origami cranes now signify hope and peace.
In Spain and China, eggs are seen as a symbol of hope. In their eyes, eggs illustrate rebirth and the start of new life. It is a sign of new beginnings. Eggs display that life will always continue on no matter how bleak a certain situation seems. When a baby turns a month old, a Chinese celebration, or Red Egg and Ginger Party (满月), is held, celebrating the renewal of life. Friends and family gather together for a meal, bringing gifts of jewelry or red envelopes filled with money for the baby. Spanish painter Salvador Dali illustrated the egg as a sign of rebirth. His painting Metamorphosis of Narcissus is a story of confusion and darkness, but in the final part, a hand holds an egg out of water, out of which a narcissus flower is growing.
Many cultures also have their own symbols as reminders of dreams and aspirations. The eight pointed star, which is one symbol of hope in Indigenous culture, is, as you might guess, an eight pointed star with a circle in the middle surrounded by another circle. The circles stand for balance and anticipation for the future. The inner four rays stand for the four cardinal points: North, South, East, and West. The outer star represents winter and summer solstice as well as winter and summer equinox, where night and day are of equal length. Therefore, the complete star symbolizes the four directions and their connection to the most important parts of the sun’s path throughout the year. The triquetra, three interconnected ovals similar to a triangle, is a common Celtic representation of anything in threes, such as life, death, and rebirth, or the past, present, and future. It is also occasionally drawn interweaving around a circle, which signifies eternity. The triquetra epitomizes unity and continuation, therefore making it the perfect symbol of hope.
Stars also represent hope and wishes. It’s a common tradition for people to wish upon shooting stars. These are rare to see, thus making the person extremely lucky and giving them anticipation for their wish to come true. Although the origins of wishing on a shooting star are unknown, some legends say that shooting stars are the gods coming to check on humans. The beauty and grandeur of stars make them the perfect thing to cast a wish on.
Metaphors are another way in which we constantly manifest hope. A common saying is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Everyone can identify with feeling the relief at finally seeing the ‘light’ at the end of certain hardships. Sometimes trials seem long and hard, but they will always end. Similarly, the sun coming out after rain is a reminder that no matter how gloomy a current situation might seem, it will end and there will be happiness again. Whenever it’s raining, people remind each other that the sun will always come out again. After a period of long dreariness and low spirits, people can once again bask in warmth and have fun outside.
Staying isolated can be draining, but these manifestations of hope serve as a reminder that good times will come again. An easy way to stay hopeful is to have pictures of or draw some of these symbols and put them around the house. Then as the day continues, these small pictures can brighten your mood. Even though the future looks bleak, remember that hope is everywhere, even in the smallest of things, and we will finally be able to see each other once again.
