Row upstream with me, against the negativity and the circumstances that seek to dictate your attitude. Make the choice to live each day with Hope!

Joseph J. Bucci ——Bio and Archives--March 27, 2026

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Nicholas Kristof, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, has witnessed some of the most tragic events in modern history—from the Tiananmen Square massacre to the genocide in Darfur (Kristof, 2024). In a recent interview, Kristof noted that, like a muscle, “hope is something we can all learn to develop” (Bowler, 2024). Author Jason Reynolds, an award-winning author of more than 20 books for children and young adults (Reynolds, 2022), describes hope in a similar fashion, calling it a “muscular practice”—a conscious, intentional choice requiring stamina and grace. It is the ability to catch one’s breath when exhaustion sets in, rather than dwelling in a constant, forced state of optimism (Tippett, 2025).

According to these authors, hope is not simply an emotion, but a disciplined practice (Bowler, 2024). Like any muscle, we must choose to exercise it, or it will atrophy. Yes, hope is a choice.

For our family, hope has been a lifelong practice rooted in the faithfulness of answered prayer. We have held onto God through the darkest of circumstances, and He has proven faithful time and again. I prayed for forty years that my oldest daughter would find a man of faith to share her life with; this past year, God brought such a man into her life. Such experiences build a hopeful expectation that God will keep His promises. The answer may be delayed, but God is faithful to fulfill His word (Joshua 23:14; Luke 1:45).

Hope is a choice, but it is not always an easy one. I am currently coping with a progressive, degenerative disorder. To better understand my condition, I joined several online support communities. This week, a member posted a query titled, “What value is a past for a man with no future?” The post expressed deep frustration as the........

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