“It's not that there is nothing real to fear-- it is that fear itself is not rationally based-- it's projecting into the future-- as irrational and projecting as hope, equally possible and impossible. But hope emboldens us and fear paralyzes us.” ReasonHopeFearCourageImpossibleFutureProjectionPossibleAfraid Not Afraid Author:Shellen Lubin
“It's easy to be afraid right now-- there is so much to be done. None of us can do it all, but we must each do what we can. And we must take care of ourselves in the process, our very human bodies and psyches, our comparatively little but beloved lives. Love gives us hope. Hope gives us courage.” LoveCareHopeFearCommunityCourageSelf CareAltruismAfraid Not Afraid Author:Shellen Lubin
“We may lose battles but we are stronger and the only thing that can defeat us ultimately is our willingness to accept defeat. We cannot accept defeat. I do not accept defeat.” HopeLossStrengthBattleResilienceResistancePersistenceResolveIrrepressibleScotus Fail Author:Shellen Lubin
“We artists know how to address transformation-- how to grow empathy, passion, and collectivity-- Spirituality knows how to address transformation-- but not with formal systems-- Systems breed safety-- follow this and you will be this, do this and you will do that, get here and you will get there. But empathy, passion, and collectivity grow from the recognition that we are not safe, that no one is safe, that our only hope is to care for ourselves and each other, and that we must each figure out our own way to do that.” ArtistSpiritualityPassionHopeCommunityEmpathyTransformationSafetySelfcareTop Problem Author:Shellen Lubin
“Love and work. Work and love. Whatever it is we do, whoever it is we love, hopefully we make something better with it all-- our lives, our community, our country, the world.” WorldLoveLifeCountryHopeGrowthCommunityWorkGratitudeImprovement Author:Shellen Lubin
“There is much to be done. We cannot keep going. We keep going.” PurposeHopeChallengesWorkPerseveranceLight Web Author:Shellen Lubin
“We need each other more than ever. We cannot get through it alone, find the hope to move forward and do all we need to do alone, find the joy and beauty alone to have the incentive to find the hope.” InspirationJoyPurposeMotivationHopeBeautySupportProgressSolidarityCarry Your Load Author:Shellen Lubin
“Catch the breeze. Open to the changing season. Yes, resist the political disaster we're living through but open to the possibility of breezes clearing some of the air, leading us to how and where we can keep the worst from happening and how and where we can move it in a different direction. There is still hope.” HopePoliticsChangeMovementDisasterDirectionOpenResistCatch The Breeze Author:Shellen Lubin
“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting, grieving, healing, assessing, re-grouping) persistence and perseverance has to be allowed in patches, not what from the outside might be viewed as 'normal' (for whatever worth normal has, the top of that overused bell curve). So let me clarify. When I talk about persistence, it isn't about persistence of equal measure every day. It's about not giving up on whatever is important to you, and, especially, not giving up on yourself. Some chapters of your life may allow many facets of your being, others just cannot and the feeling of failure that can arouse is of no value. Sometimes all you can do is ask yourself: What must I do this week? today? next hour? to continue the process as healthily as possible? to accomplish the most? It may be deep immersion in one, or it may be an odd mix. And tomorrow may be different. And an unexpected gift may come and change everything. And a Mack truck may hit and change everything. Our answers to those questions may not look similar but what I hope is similar is the acceptance of what must be. Persist in your own patches. Make your own quilt.” HopeChangePerspectivePerseveranceGoalsPersistenceSelf CareGiftsDon T Give UpPatchquilt Persistence Author:Shellen Lubin
“We must take advantage of those moments of wonder-- those moments that stir up the creative juices, that foster belief and faith-- to re-imagine what is possible in ourselves, in our lives, in our world. And then we must make use of all that beautiful renewed energy, all that hope and determination-- to move, to effect change.” FaithHopeBeliefGrowthChangeWonderBeautyCreativityPossibilitiesOpen To The Possibilities Author:Shellen Lubin
“This will be the year of consequences, external consequences. And hopefully the year of meeting essential needs. Happy One Two Three. Begin again.” CareHopeCompassionPotentialAltruismConsequencesRenewalBeginningOne Two Three Author:Shellen Lubin
“If we allow ourselves to perceive each other as enemies, to be enemies, and to behave as if we are, there is no hope. We have to have empathy. We have to believe there is hope.” HopePerceptionEmpathyJudgementEnemiesCondemnationSelf RighteousnessOn Mourning Author:Shellen Lubin
“Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself give the situation give the world is to keep trying, keep naming, calling, keep the struggle alive, keep hope alive. And sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself give the situation give the world is to just let go.” WisdomHopeStruggleSurvivalSurrenderGiftReleaseSelf CareFutilityTo Be Done Author:Shellen Lubin
“Even in and out and in and out of isolation, We must find ways to choose hope, To choose to go on, To choose to make things, To choose to make things better, To choose Life. L'Shana Tovah.” LifeHopeGrowthSurvivalImprovementChoiceIsolationAutonomyChoose Life Author:Shellen Lubin
“We have to find a way to think-- think things through-- think beyond-- go wide-- go deep-- together. One to One and All to All we must Connect Affect Compromise Find a way forward together-- or I truly believe we've lost all hope.” ThinkingHopeCommitmentUnityCompromisePersistenceConnectionDeepForwardThinking Through Author:Shellen Lubin
“We cannot have reckless hope... Everything that actually happens happens in the real world, our real world. We need to take action, have hope and faith, but also learn from what actually occurs... Another tricky balancing act. Another contradictory co-existing reality. Another tightrope dance.” ActionFaithHopeBalancing ActTightrope Dance Author:Shellen Lubin
“...don't get more anxious about feeling anxious, especially when the anxiety is so justifiable. It'll just lead to more anxiety. And there is definitely a tipping point... ...know that it's also anticipation ... and possibility ... and hope. Ride the waves ... Feel the excitement. It lets you know you're alive.” LifeHopePossibilityMental HealthExcitementAnticipationJustificationSelf CareAnxiety Is Underrated Author:Shellen Lubin
“I have learned, we are not our happiest when we get what we want-- then we are prone to pick-- aware of all the flaws and tradeoffs in our realized-but-imperfect fantasy. We are our happiest when we have hope.” HappinessJoyHopePeaceFantasyPerfectionContentmentFlawsImperfectionHope Bubbles Author:Shellen Lubin
“Despair manifests in multiple ways-- illness, exhaustion, indulgence, malaise-- some days I just have to let it be, whatever form it takes. We have to do what we can, all we can, to turn the tides. But ... but ... Sometimes despair overwhelms and what we need is to do, to create, to make hope.” HopeDespairIllnessTriumphCreateIndulgeExhaustionMalaiseHope Making Author:Shellen Lubin
“It's a balancing act, keeping hope but not letting it drive you to distraction. Because the flip side of hope, the dark side, is the side that keeps you wanting to be somewhere else from where you are, with something else from what you've got-- the side that keeps you from appreciating and feeling fully and deeply what there is in this moment. Hope keeps us in the flow--moving forward-- and I will not underestimate its value, but hopelessness keeps us present in the moment, whether it is the Buddhist hopelessness of non-attachment or the hopelessness of despair.” HopeDarknessDespairFlowDepthValueAppreciationUnhappinessHopelessnessBalancing Act Author:Shellen Lubin
“I think there is a place where hopefulness and hopelessness co-exist, one of my beloved contradictory co-existing realities (what others call a paradox, but paradoxes can be mis-defined themselves, not owning their true contrari-ness and/or co-existence): something like joy-and-hope-in-the-process-of-being-and-becoming, something like awareness-of-distant-goals-without-attachment-to-getting-them, something like satisfaction-in-dissatisfaction. Like riding a roller coaster, being and feeling where it is and feeling where it's going all at the same time, since where it's going is part of where it is, and, whatever the now is, it will never stay there. Something like life.” LifeJoyHopeChangeSelf AwarenessGoalsHopelessnessBeingHopefulnessBalancing Act Author:Shellen Lubin
“Love mingled with grief, and rage. Hope mingled with despair. Sounds like the state of our world right now.” LoveRealityHopeGriefDespairRageBalancing Act Author:Shellen Lubin
“Why does it matter, to re-find hope, to regain hopefulness, again and again, in spite of loss, pain, grief-- even devastation? Because, my love, hope is a feeling, and how we feel about the world defines us, defines our reality, our experience of our reality, how we treat those around us and ourselves.” RealityPurposeHopeImpactRecoveryTriumphDefinePermission Slip For Hope Author:Shellen Lubin
“Hope alone cannot create outcomes but having hope affects outcomes. Proceeding with hope makes more things possible, may just be what gets you up and out the door, making anything possible at all. But hope is an illusion, no? Yes, my love, but no more than fear and worry. They are all illusions because they are all about the future, and we cannot know the future. But ... hope is an illusion that opens us up, inspires joy, reminds us of possibility, gets us through trial and tribulation more easily (like singing in the rhythm of a labor-intensive task makes it easier to keep on going). Hope leads us to more, better, greater things-- maybe not the ideal, the fantasy, even the very thing you hope for-- but more, better, greater than would otherwise be.” InspirationPurposeHopeChangePossibilityPerseveranceOpennessTransformJoy QuotesPermission Slip For Hope Author:Shellen Lubin
“Fear and despair are impediments. Hope is a permission slip. Today I give myself a permission slip to hope again. And, if you need one-- as the designated hall monitor who loves to give out permission slips (yes, you can go in that room; yes, you can try that activity; yes, yes, yes)-- if you're open to receiving it, I've got one for you, too.” HopeCouragePossibilitySelf LoveOpennessRenewalPermission Slip For Hope Author:Shellen Lubin
“Hope is bubbling in the ocean of our collective lives... I can feel the hope bubbling inside, popping little pockets of air rising to the surface. I try to suppress them-- too soon, unsure, can't afford to risk-- but why? And why would I want to? Those bubbles pop joy into the air, spring action to life, and they feel so good, massaging the soul.” LoveSoulActionJoyFaithHopeInterconnectednessHope Bubbles Author:Shellen Lubin
“It's Harvest Time. Jewish New Year. Back to School. The new theatrical season. These are September to me. Apples and honey, sharpened pencils and the sounds of warm-ups, voices and bodies getting going. Hope and promise and things re-newed.” HopePromiseSeasonsTheatreReleaseAutumnHarvestBack To School Author:Shellen Lubin
“It's always been vital, but now it is dire, Our country--democracy--might just expire. I used to say I didn't care who you choose But these times aren't normal: THE RED SLATE MUST LOSE! We each have one vote. It's a vote we must make. Not just for us all, for democracy's sake.” CountryHopeDemocracyVoteVotingPatriotismDemocratsGet Out The Vote Author:Shellen Lubin
“I have said for many years that the only real difference between a philosophy and a religion is one or more gods... I am learning more and more-- as I did when studying eastern religions in my twenties-- how powerful prayer can be, and I don't mean because one god answers anyone's prayers. It is the place it puts us in. Focus. Reflection. Vertical communication. Surrender (to the powers that be and those that may or may not be). And so: Hope.” PhilosophyReligionHopePrayerFocusReflectionSurrenderGodsHigher PowerPrayer For Peace Author:Shellen Lubin
“Integrity, America. You lack integrity. The degree of distance between how we want to see ourselves and how we are is enormous. Integrity. Individually and as a people. We lack integrity. As an individual, I have long known that the only hope for integrity is not only the effort expended to live up to our word, but the willingness to own how and where we have not, and to hold ourselves accountable for the consequences of that.” RealityAmericaHopeHonestyIntegrityAccountabilityOwnershipConsequencesDecoration Day Author:Shellen Lubin
“Moment to moment, day after day, We must hold the contradictory co-existing reality Of who we are, all we have done, Where we have succeeded and where we have failed, and who we believe that we could be.” MomentsRealityHopeIdentityReflectionComplexityAspirationPotentialLive In The MomentChoose Life Author:Shellen Lubin
“We cannot get anywhere without hope and yet we cannot get anywhere on hope alone.” RealityFaithHopeBalanceContradictionTightrope Dance Author:Shellen Lubin
“Even the deepest darkest tragedies are not quite as heavy when they are shared-- shared in experience and shared in the re-telling. Even the worst, most disastrous mistakes are easier to learn from, to move on from when they are shared-- cried over, laughed at, moved through the body... Share the facts, the feelings, the foibles, the fears. Share the wonder, the sweetness, the hope, the possibilities. Friendship is not greater than love-- friendship IS love. Sharing is love.” LoveFeelingsHopeFriendshipWonderCryPossibilityLaughterSharingShare It Author:Shellen Lubin