Episcopal priest Megan Castellan guest blogs on The Daily Cake with an entry called “Muppet Hope”. An excerpt:
In the mishmash of things I recall from my childhood, Grover’s manically-dancing waiter, who systematically destroys every entree he delivers, stays with me. When angrily confronted by his frustrated customer, who asks if he could find any way at all to refrain from stomping his next meal to death, Grover stares at him for a long moment. ”Where there is life, there is hope,” he says somberly. (Cracks me up every time.)
The genius of Sesame Street always was that it spoke to children while never lying to them. Sesame Street was a microcosm of the real world and did not flinch from that. Life may be fun and safe at Sesame Street, but life wasn’t perfect. People suffered disappointments and setbacks. Muppets got scared and sad (and occasionally grouchy.) Mr. Hooper died. And Grover could not manage to be a competent waiter.
And yet, there was still hope. Not the hope borne out of a Barney-and-friends sense of denial and cheeriness, but a hope with teeth. Grover stood in the middle of shattered crockery and trampled enchiladas, the ruins of his past attempts, and announced that he would yet still try to get this right. Even while fully acknowledging the messiness, and fragility of the world, Sesame Street taught hope.
What are some of the the unexpected places you have found hope?