Strange Legacy

I’d Like to Believe

“I’d like to believe.” These words were uttered by a friend during a delicate discussion about some demoralizing problems he was having at his job. This individual wanted to believe that his accomplishments had been recognized by company brass, that he was seen as an asset to by his employers. Nevertheless, he was concerned that his attempts to renegotiate his compensation based on these efforts had not yielded any results. Thus the refrain, “I’d like to believe that my contribution is recognized by my leaders.”

This gentleman defended his desire to believe by stating that he was a person of deep religious faith. Religion had been a sustaining force in his recovery from drugs and alcohol years before; given the important role that faith had played in his life, he was unwilling to abandon the hope that his current circumstances might dramatically improve. Nevertheless, all the signs he’d recognized during his conversations with the leaders of his company seemed to suggest otherwise.

As I listened to him, it was interesting to consider the difference between hope and wishful thinking. On the surface, both concepts appear similar – both invoke a possible circumstance or outcome that cannot be immediately verified. Nevertheless, these two principles manifest a strikingly different impact on our lives. Hope breeds a sense of relief; it serves as a light through dark times and stems from the conviction that things will get better. Wishful thinking is the antithesis of hope; beneath its faux-faith exterior we find doubt and resignation. While hope provides relief, wishful thinking creates stress, pain and uncertainty.

Saying “I’d like to believe” is not an expression of faith. If you have faith, you believe – period. Yet many cling to wishful thinking for fear of losing hope, unaware that it is already gone. Letting go of false faith allows us to see things as they really are; though painful at first – like eyes adjusting to the bright sun after emerging from a dark enclosure – our perspective will eventually adjust and we will begin to see possibilities and options we hadn’t recognized before. As we begin to pursue these true solutions to our problems we can experience the relief and peace that true hope brings.

Ultimately, our ability to discard false faith and embrace the brutal facts of our circumstances – while simultaneously maintaining a positive attitude – will give us the emotional fortitude to confront the challenges life inevitably sends our way. Thus, we will not find ourselves wandering the bleak and dreary wasteland of “I’d like to believe”; instead we will develop the capacity to feel the sustaining influence that hope alone can provide.

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