Anne Lamott's notes on hope

This delightful book by Anne Lamott speaks of diverse topics including puzzles, addiction, and bitter chocolate. But the greatest of these is hope. Only hope, the author tells us, stands in opposition to her "stockpiling antibiotics for the apocalypse." Hope indicates spiritual progress: these days, when visited by the "mental roommate" who tells her to jump from a great height or wrap her car around a tree, she simply rolls her eyes. "Oh, you again."

Lamott's fundamental message is the value of story, that soul food so necessary for humans. Good stories needn't be "hot." Indeed most often they portray "modest salvation." But they make us feel "more connected to life," make it "more spacious and welcoming." For children especially, they serve as "mirrors, mentors, guide dogs." Stories feed us, and hold us together. "Truth and awareness mend."

This author encourages writing, because it "dilutes our habitual fear and our need for control." Also, it "breaks the trance of our belief that life is going to hell in a handbasket." In a signature switch, she adds, "But do not tell your family this. They'll want to know if you have an agent."

Sadly, society does not encourage its members to have a wide view, so even though humans are "truth-seeking missiles,"..."not many of us were encouraged to challenge our convictions and identities." That's sad, because "the bigger bandwidth of truth, the more our understanding aligns with what truly is."

Lamott explains the societal hunger for ever more stuff as a misguided attempt to correct internal spiritual imbalance. "The desperate urge to own and control in order to fix our psychic holes, relieve anxiety...and cauterize old wounds takes root at an early age, and is doomed." Since we "cannot arrange lasting safety or happiness for our most beloved people," and "Not one single person in history has gotten an alcoholic sober," what remains is the inner spiritual work. Being at peace is "an inside job," and "silence is medicine."

Finally, "if the earth is forgiveness school, family is your post-doctoral fellowship." Challenging though life can be, Lamott tells us, the path to liberation is kindness.