Hopium

I see hope and despair as the bipolar opposites, and fear as the energy behind BOTH of those. Both hope (that something may change for example), and despair (that it will not) are for the future rather than recognizing what actually exists NOW (where the opportunity for action really is). My finite ego can only see things in terms of duality: light vs dark, good vs bad, happy vs sad, right vs wrong, hope vs despair, and ALL of those are expressions of my egoic attachment vs aversion, fueled by fears (that the "good" may be lost or insufficient. while the "bad" may manifest or multiply). In the bigger picture, Love can be recognized as being behind the fears (Love of existence and life, love of seeing truth clearly, loving-kindness: metta, compassion, etc.). When I consciously choose Awareness of unlimited Love, and act in each moment of now on that basis, then I am not dependent on clinging to fragile hope for some future, and there is no suffering...