Hope & despair rely on our adherence to the pairs of opposites: attraction and aversion, desire and fear. Reality sits squarely in what is.  What we know for certain to be true, the fact of our being, we can count on never to disappoint us or to lure us on to hopes of happiness that prove transient, or fears of a failure that seems eternal.  Our being is the only source of true happiness, and it is always available. We need only quiet our minds enough to consciously experience the fact of who we are.

With even a small step in meditation practice, we can begin to recognize the unchanging nature of being and build a secure foundation on which to enjoy what comes our way, solid in the experience of basic goodness - the foundation of all our existence. We can ride the breath to a quiet mind, experience our true identity, and find true peace of mind. When we do, our peace of mind reaches deeper than hope, and we see despair for the illusion it is - the product of a divided, distracted mind.