It's not about curing the disease, but healing the life; then the physical benefits come.
Bernie SiegelRead
If we had no hope - for a cure, for winning the lottery, for falling in love, for the end of war, for being free of abuse, or for having food, warmth, clothing, and shelter - we would have no reason to go on. What you hope for doesn't matter, but rather the essence of hope itself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Hope is essential for survival and fulfillment in life, regardless of what one hopes for.
This quote emphasizes the fundamental importance of hope in human existence. Bernie Siegel suggests that hope is what drives us forward, providing a reason to endure and strive for better circumstances. It highlights that while the objects of our hope may vary, the mere act of hoping is vital to our resilience and motivation to keep living.
Themes
HopeSurvivalMotivationLifeResilience
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about overcoming challenges, one could refer to this quote to inspire hope.
More from Bernie Siegel
All quotes →Diseases can be our spiritual flat tires - disruptions in our lives that seem to be disasters at the time but end by redirecting our lives in a meaningful way.
Bernie SiegelRead
It is astounding how much the immune system is strengthened by reducing daily mental stress levels with either visualization or meditation. The other great tonic for the immune system is love—loving ourselves as well as others.
Bernie SiegelRead
I truly feel the best doctors are ones who are criticized by nurses, patients and family. They do not make excuses and learn from their mistakes.
Bernie SiegelRead
Part of my evolution has been to learn how painful most people's childhoods are. They grow up not liking themselves, not loving themselves. Ask people if they were lovable the minute they were born, and watch them sit back and have to think about it. One lady said, 'I suppose so.' That's painful.
Bernie SiegelRead
Being a survivor doesn't mean being strong - it's telling people when you need a meal or a ride, company, whatever. It's paying attention to heart wisdom, feelings, not living a role, but having a unique, authentic life, having something to contribute, finding time to love and laugh. All these things are qualities of survivors.
Bernie SiegelRead
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