This week, our challenge host, Patti, asks us to think about hope and what makes us hopeful. She writes, “What makes you hopeful? Is it a place, a person, or a beautiful creation? Is it art, music, poetry?” You can read her entire challenge post here. I’ve twisted the theme in some cases, focusing on the hopeful nature of the image rather than whether it makes me hopeful in some way.

My first photo is of a lamp known as the Three Sisters. One theory behind the name is that three sisters waited on that spot, hoping their husbands would return safely from the sea. You can read the entire story of the legend surrounding this lamp from an earlier post of mine here.

In 1970, the world watched and waited, hopeful that the three astronauts aboard Apollo 13, damaged by an explosion, would return safely to Earth. The mission control team in Houston needed to figure out how to stretch the supply of oxygen designed to accommodate two men for two days so that the three men in the capsule could survive for four days. The plan developed on the fly worked, and millions watched the astronauts return safely to Earth on television.

On a visit to Winnipeg, Canada, only a few hours’ drive from our home in Fargo, we visited the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The museum focuses on the rights of all human beings, including being free and equal in dignity and rights. In static and interactive formats, some are permanent, while others focus on current human rights issues. Stories such as Rohingya Women’s Call for Justice and the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda were examples during our visit. I am hopeful that shining the light of publicity on atrocities can help reduce human suffering worldwide.

We spent almost a decade on our winter trips to Phoenix before discovering the Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix. Their mission to provide a beautiful place of serenity, peace, education, and cultural engagement is reflected in the garden. The partnership of the sister cities of Phoenix and Himeji, Japan, created this beautiful venue that brings me hope for more serene and beautiful international projects.

Near Dunseith, North Dakota, a joint project on the United States/Canadian border demonstrates the goodwill that has existed for decades between the two countries with the longest international border. The border runs 5525 miles (8893 km). According to the garden’s website here, Manitoba donated 1451 acres, and North Dakota purchased and donated 888 acres along the border. The garden opened during the Great Depression, and even with World War II beginning only a few years later, the International Peace Garden persevered. Since my first visit, I have considered the garden a beacon of hope that international friendships can still exist and thrive.

After well over 100 years of construction in Barcelona, the cathedral designed by Gaudi is estimated to be completed in 2026. I hope to live to hear it was finished, even if I don’t see it completed in person.

As we left New York’s cruise terminal and sailed down the Hudson toward the ocean, we passed Lady Liberty. She has undoubtedly given hope to many people who came to a new country to begin a new life. Since I first learned about the gift from France in school, I have considered her a beacon of hope for those who wish to start a new life free of oppression.

That’s my response to Patti’s challenge. I’ve posted all of these images on my Flickr site for those who like to pixel-peep. You can view all of these images in 2K HD here. Last week, Tina challenged us to be young again, at least in spirit. The responses were full of youthful exuberance. Ann-Christine will host the challenge next week. Be sure to follow her here so you don’t miss it. If you’d like to join the challenge but aren’t sure how to get started, check out this guide.

John Steiner