Writing my way through the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’ve tasked myself with throwing open the cabinet of curiosities and wondrous things I call my brain and leading you on a tour of what actually resides in there – all through the lens of unusual, obscure, or simply charming-to-me words.
E is for…
Esperance, an obsolete word meaning hope.
The word may be obsolete, but hope certainly isn’t. It may seem a bit tarnished and harder to come by these days, but it’s a traveling companion we would all do well to cultivate.
Hope is an optimistic attitude based on the expectation of positive outcomes. While for some I think it’s a passive approach – a sort of wait and see attitude that leans into distress and defeat and is basically invoking outside rescue help. But I prefer to think of hope as a dynamic process. It can be an energizing invitation to engage in active, creative ways to make what we’re hoping for actually occur. And I most certainly believe that’s much needed these days.
The Greek philosopher Plutarch (circa 100 CE) wrote something that makes me smile and feels so hopeful to me. He wrote:
“Antisthenes says that in a certain faraway land the cold is so intense that words freeze as soon as they are uttered, and after some time then thaw and become audible, so that words spoken in winter go unheard until the next summer.”
Clearly he wasn’t referring to hope by any stretch of the imagination, but I delight in the thought that sometimes things seem frozen and yet they later unfreeze. I can easily make the connection with how stagnant and stuck things seem in our collective world on so many levels – as though we’re frozen in some strange pattern. But in the natural cycle of things, this state won’t remain forever. That fills me with such hope.
Spring, too, feels like such a naturally hopeful time – full of promise, of potential being actualized, of exponential growth and movement. Esperance personified.
Another one of my delights is floriography, the language of flowers. While there are many flowers that “mean” hope, Iris is one of my favorites.
For me gardens are places of esperance. And hope is a beautiful energy to carry. It allows expansion, it welcomes change, it invites others to lean into possibility as well. We all need that, don’t we?
I recently picked up Rebecca Solnit’s book Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities. I do love what she has to say:
“Hope is a gift you don’t have to surrender, a power you don’t have to throw away.”
Esperance may be archaic term for hope, but I hold hope so fiercely there is no chance of it being obsolete.
So tell me, how is esperance showing up in your life? Is there a particular flower that speaks of hope to you? Do you feel like something is frozen and awaiting thawing? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
Hi there,
I love hope, and find that it is very motivating. Without hope there could be no faith.
Thanks for this lovely post
https://seal-of-melchizedek.blogspot.com/2019/04/edmonton-alberta-temple.html
Thanks for your kind words. May there always be room in our hearts for hope.
Those are wonderful words of Plutarch! And I loved your take on them, about thing seemingly frozen that can thaw out later. Peoples hearts can do that of course, we just need patience if the person is important to us. Don’t give up to soon, I guess.
I love iris too. I lost some to a too wet winter, where their rhizomes were under water too long.
Yes, hope and patience seem like champions for one another don’t they?
I’m sorry to hear about your irises. I think winter was hard on a lot of us.
Tulips remind me of hope. They make it through the tough winter and start coming out of the ground while it’s still freezing and snowy. (this year anyway)I love purple irises though. They bloom later here; I have lavender and deep purple ones in my back yard. Esperance may be an obsolete word in English, but it still means hope in French. 🙂
Tulips are a wonder choice Margaret. And I’m sure your irises are gorgeous – I hope you’ll share photos when they bloom. Thanks for the French lesson as well – that delights me.
The photograph is beautiful and Plutarch quoting Antishenes’ words and your analogy to hope ‘thawing’ is perfect when everything seems fully stuck in the status quo. Thank you Elaine. Hope may be frozen but not forever ..
That quote really does delight me. Here’s to hope always pushing through where we need it most.
Elaine – where does that come from – Must be the E – sorry about that Deborah! If you can Edit it or remove – 🙂
LOL – not a problem Susan. And given the hectic craziness that is A-to-Z, I’m surprised any of us manage to remember our own names.
Another wonderful word, Deborah. We can never give up hope!
Indeed Janet.
Esperance would make a lovely name for a flower. I love the way it feels in my mouth. The quote about frozen words – just stunning imagery!
Hope requires courage, a certain sort of perseverance, an attitude of positivity. Hope is a conscious choice. It is not a passive thing.
I don’t know where I heard it or how long ago, can’t remember whose quote it is either – hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Easier said than done as all good advice is.
Oh I love the idea of a flower named Esperance – yes!
I absolutely agree hope is a conscious choice. I wish more people realized that because there is great power in that understanding.
“Hope for the best; prepare for the worst” was one of my mother’s favorite admonishments, and I think it served her well throughout her life.
That’s such a wonderful quotation! I’ve been reading back through old journal entries, finding that I wrote things three or five years ago that I’m only just beginning to understand fully. It seems apposite.
I totally understand what you mean about reviewing old journals and discovering greater clarity. It really is one of my favorite things to do – it’s like discovering things entirely anew, and that’s quite magical.
I love the word esperance. When I was in college, I was a student teacher at a wonderful place called Villa Esperanza. It was a school for special needs children from 6 mos to 18. I worked in the infant/toddler program. I loved it there and learned so much. The teachers and staff were so kind, patient and knowledgable. They definitely brought the meaning of Esperanza to life.
There is a rose by PrimaRosa called Esperance. I can’t post a photo here, but will send it to you. It’s a fairly new rose, a soft pink with a tinge of light green on the petals; perfect for spring.
xo
Oh, what a wonderful experience Pattie! And I’m so delighted to hear there’s a Esperance rose – that’s fabulous. Thanks for sending me the photos. They’re gorgeous.
The word esperance needs to make a come-back. Anything to do with hope should not be lost. Very interesting theme you have going here.
I agree Laura – hope shouldn’t be lost. Thanks for stopping by, and best wishes for a fun challenge.
Lily of the Valley — their fragrance takes me to heaven.
beth
https://bethlapinsatozblog.wordpress.com/
Oh absolutely Beth – I love the scent as well. I can’t wait for mine to start blooming so I can load little vases and set them about everywhere.
I like that word! Could it make a come back?
You’ll have to join me Mike in making it our mission to promote it widely.
While Hope may be somewhat passive it may provide the mindset to go out there and do something to change things for the better!
I so agree with spring. No matter how messy your life may be – nature doesn’t mind. New blooms and joy all around anyway!
Happy Monday!
I like to think hope is a gentle (or sometimes fierce) persuader to take action.
And yes, yes, yes to your take on Spring – abundant magic abounds.
That’s a great word! And i think it can be linked to hope – I have often said things to my children which i know won’t be taken into account when uttered, but hoped, in course of time, they would come back and advise when they were wiser! ~Liz Thank you for visiting my blog. I am linking to people who I’ve enjoyed this year as liking to the list is a bit dicey what with so many blogs being empty of A-Zs. You will be linked this week. http://www.poetryroundabout.com
I love the idea of wisdom seeds planted Liz.
Oh my goodness, I love the story of the frozen words. I wonder whether, on the other hand, it can be so hot that words melt right down out of the air before they can be heard!
My favorite spring flower is probably the daffodil just because they make me so happy, but maybe a better symbol for hope would be snowdrops or witch hazel or hellebore, one of the really early ones that blooms when it doesn’t seem like anything will ever bloom again.
Black and White: E is for Emela-ntouka
Oh I love that image of melting words Anne – I’ll definitely be holding on to that as well. Words gone missing always makes me smile and think of a family story. When my brother was little he was a major chatterbox, apparently talking so much it drove our sister crazy. She managed to convince him that a person had only so many words allotted to them in a lifetime and he was on the path of using them all up before he reached his next birthday. 🙂
I love all your choices for Spring’s blooming reminders of hope. Nature always comes through with perfect messages doesn’t she?
Great piece! And I love the word — even if it is obsolete 🙂
Ronel visiting from the A-Z Challenge with Music and Writing: The E
Thanks. Perhaps we should all be on a mission to bring our favorite obscure words back into wide circulation – that sounds like a fun plan to me.
We have an Esperance Hospital – where I had my hip replaced … so there’s hope for us in Eastbourne yet! Cheers Hilary
That makes me smile Hilary.