Okay, so I didn't win the lottery like I said I was going to do. That's all right though. I've started this new conversational blog and maybe some good growth will come of that.

As a little family, we've found something new to place our hope in like we always do. I feel so stupid for hoping because I keep getting disappointed. We place hope in things and feelings and opportunities, Nobel prize winning presidents, situations, and luck. All of this hope makes me wonder about the origin of hope. Does it spring from faith or does faith grow out of hope?

Origin aside, does hope benefit the hopeful? I will be the first to admit that hope feels good. Imagining a better life with a moderately nice house and fewer bills and less worry is fun for the duration of the fantasy. But does fantasizing make disappointment worse when it (seemingly) inevitably comes along? If we didn't fantasize would we be less upset by bad news?

What do you think?