Day 2685: Despair

In all the two thousand, six hundred and eighty-five days I have been blogging, I have never once used the word “despair.”

Today, the news causes me to despair.

What should I do with despair?  I shall turn to others who have written about despair before:

“Because I remember, I despair.  Because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair.” — Elie Weisel

“The opposite of hope is despair, and when we despair, it is because we feel that there are no choices.” — Warren G. Bennis

“It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.” — J.R.R. Tolkien

“Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair.” — Edmund Burke

“The most common form of despair is not being who you are. ” — Søren Kierkegaard

“Despair is is the price one pays for self-awareness.  Look deeply into life, and you’ll always find despair.” — Irvin Yalom

“Despair is the fleeting fury of a hopeless soul.” — Immanuel Kant

“Despair is the suicide of the heart.” —  Jean Paul Richter

“Human life begins on the other side of despair.” — Jean-Paul Sartre

“Life, which creates despair, is stronger than despair.” — Alain Grandbois

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

“But what we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope.” —  George Eliot

“Action is the antidote to despair.”  — Joan Baez

I was beginning to despair that all the quotes today would be from men, until I found those last two.

Do you see despair in any of my photos from yesterday?

Here is “Despair” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs:

I believe gratitude is an antidote to despair, so thanks to all who help me create this blog, day after day.