The Thing With Feathers

What gets us through the day? For some its coffee, others its food, working out, working in general, school, friends or faith. But what ties all of these together? It's hope. We all hope that everyday two things will happen; the daily routine we've grown accustomed to will still be intact, and that something out of the ordinary will occur and bring the ultimate joy into our lives .

These past few weeks at Western have been a test of everything. A test of my capability as a student, a test of my friendship and loyalty, a test of my ethical and political beliefs, and a test to my self-proclamation as a Christian.

I am willing to admit that I am not perfect, that I have a long way to go and that I will need to make changes in my life. But I also know I am good person, I am a Christian and that I will continue to grow as such. I have hope, and hope is what has pulled me through and will continue to pull me through.

Today in writing class, my teacher was reading us several definitions written by famous writers, and when he got to one by Emily Dickinson, all the book said was, "Hope is the thing with feathers." He and the rest of the class all thought that didn't make any sense. Then I said, "It's because that's not the whole saying," and then he asked, "So what is?" I then recited the phrase that I memorized when I was twelve, "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches within the soul." He and the class were dumbfounded that I knew it verbatim. The teacher than gave me extra credit for knowing it and wrote the missing half of the phrase into his text book.

I think I've remembered that for so long because I know and feel, that when all else in wrong in your world and mine, hope is still there inside us. Perched and ready for flight.