The carrots in my garden are sprouting.  So are most of the other plants, as well, but it's important to note the carrots.  Last year, my garden box was filled with peppers, and tomatoes, and peas, and... a particularly unproductive square of brown dirt where there was a noticeable lack of carrots.  

That is not to say I didn't try to goad them into growing.  I watered them frequently, I pulled the weeds up constantly around them, and tried to make sure they had the right amount of sun.  But, to no avail.  

I often find that I try to control life, and because of this, I stop it from growing.  Letting things grow, develop by themselves, this is a scary idea.  I become overly concerned with whether or not things will go as I plan, or even as I hope.  Hope is a powerful tool.  It shapes us, it pushes us.  It bring us peace.  But, hope also can be responsible for a lot of pain.  Hope can drive people apart, it can cause fear and anxiety.  

My friends, do not let your hopes convince you that now is not a wonderful place to be.  Everything that you do has meaning, and matters greatly.  Every hello you say, every time you hold your child for comfort, or your spouse for safety.  Every day you get up, and go forward, and experience your life, the moments in it.  The joys and sadness, together.  These are what define us, and what we do with them are what saves us.