While I often times find it mildy difficult to be optimistic in a world of war, disease, violence and general all around dismay it is sometimes necessary to "look for the silver lining." Whether or not I can personally wrestle my mind to come to terms with the concept of "hope in a diverse world" for the purpose of writing this is irrelevent and I'll try and disregard it the best I can. You see, as "hopeful" as we all should be, we live in a time of blatant malaise and depression...and for me to be blind to that fact would surely prove me to be blind to the world.

I suppose the most cliche example of hope in recent times is September 11th. How may I ask does that represent hope? Thousands of people died, thousands of families were broken...after 9/11 the Middle East conflict literally...