There are two quotes from the movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ about hope that sometimes help me and sometimes makes me nervous. First quote

Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. -Red

and second one

..hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. -Andy Dufresne

I always wonder which one suits me, which one should I live my life with. Whenever it comes to giving advice,suggestion, boosting moral I go with Andy’s quote. But then there are situations in which I am concerned and then I go along with Red, because I hope for a lot of things and when things do not turn out my way, I drive myself insane. Many a times I ask myself which one should I follow, but it seems there is no correct answer, both are at different extremities and as I understand living on extremities is dangerous. I can always take the Middle Path as suggested by Buddha and be happy.

I am able to follow Middle Path for most of things in my life but then there are some circumstances when my expectations are high. With some situations/people I am just too much hopeful. I want some things to go my way and because I trust the people involved in it that I end up hurting myself. I am not a demanding person, as my friends know, I am very flexible but once in a while I change my attitude to demanding and end up hurting myself. My demands are not high and worst part is, I do not understand concerns from other end.

I need to resolve this. I definitely know ‘hope is a good thing’ and I should hope but at the same time be able to control myself. I have created a lot of problems and need to figure out a way to get out of it and I am hopeful to get out of it. I just hope that I should be more understanding and could control my emotions. Will stop here but with the quote that I love the most and I believe is absolutely right.

The highest forms of understanding we can achieve are laughter and human compassion. – Richard Feynman