Despair only wins when we believe the story is over—and most of the time, it isn’t.
“It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
Reflection
Tolkien reminds us that despair requires certainty—the belief that the story is finished. But as long as we breathe, uncertainty remains, and within uncertainty lives hope. Life rarely gives us clean endings; instead, it offers unfinished chapters, pauses, and quiet turns we don’t yet understand. When circumstances feel heavy, it’s tempting to declare the ending too soon. Yet not knowing what comes next is not weakness—it’s possibility. The future remains unwritten, shaped by courage, patience, and small acts of faith. As long as we cannot see the end “beyond all doubt,” we are still invited to walk forward, trusting that meaning may be waiting just beyond our current sight.
Something to Think About:
Where in your life might uncertainty be a doorway to hope rather than a reason to despair?
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