H.O.P.E. The power of words

  

H.O.P.E. The power of this season

 This is a powerful season. Always has been. It is a season that fights the darkness with light and hope. I saw an interesting acronym;

H.O.P.E.: Hang on. Pain Ends.

I was looking for some good quotes and images for this post, but gargle gave me mostly trite kitsch. While trying to find a transcript of the simple but effective text only speech of King Charles, I was inundated with ads. (If anyone has the patience to find a text only version I'd appreciate it).

His Christmas 2025 speech can be viewed here:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ciqg2W0T-8c

The history of the poster below is on Wikipedia.

During world War Two the Brits accomplished the impossible and won. The government put out various posters to motivate and encourage with the now ubiquitous Keep calm and carry on posters. Those type of subliminal messages address our subconscious and do work.

King Charles alluded to some of this history in his speech, speaking of the literal and figurative "journey" of our lives and geographic displacement. Whether he merely reiterated key words based on what he hears from the public I do not know.

Hope, courage, resilience, bravery, compassion and Respect (which he mentioned at least twice) are the key words for 2026. Words matter, but become meaningless if there is no action. 

We will have to give eachother light through deeds. Help eachother and offer more than meaningless words. Step out of our own communities and give light, because it is no longer Christmas business as usual. We've done it for hundred thousands of years during the winter months. That is the power of this season.

I wrote this prior to Christmas or whatever people celebrate because it applies throughout the winter season and will apply in 2026.

I have come across social media posts where people complain that these are just meaningless words. I agree; actions speak louder than words. Speeches may show intent, but can lose their power.

But so do the words spoken and written by people who harm others. They are also just words, aren't they? And yet they have the power to incite physical and mental harm to others.

But words can also 'incite' to do something good. Words will matter in 2026.

As always please do not mention or insult any politicians.