It isn't easy to pray for the same thing that you've prayed for before, and haven't gotten the result you wanted and asked for. To ask again and again is challenging.
One person who eventually had her prayers answered, said that she didn't just pray. She envisioned a rejuvenation, new life entering the person she was praying for.
That's the meaning of the word תקוה, which is usually translated as hope, but the root of the word is קו, a line. Having hope, means to draw a line. When you're a child doing connect- the-dots, it's not challenging at all. When the dots stop, you need to be creative and imagine. While you are waiting for G-d's kindness to be manifest, draw a line, and think about His kindness actually making something happening. A soldier can only be successful when he sings a song of victory at the outset of a battle, athletes needs to feel the exhilarating euphoria of the win, hear the cheering of their fans before they even start the game.
King David in Psalm 39.7 says "man walks with a tzelem", with an image or a vision. Our minds are always taking pictures, that's how scientists describe all intellectual activity. Why not picture somehow the good? It makes a difference. Picture yourself going to see your relatives for a family reunion, you can see yourself going through the angst of packing, the traffic, siblings rivalry, or you can picture how when you get there that everything is great and everyone is excited to see each other.
The vision puts stride in your step.
Besides praying for and hoping for temporary good, the Jewish people are the dream team that is meant to create the goodness of the coming of Moshiach, and that future is created through the dream team learning about and living with our dream, a world that is so good and sweet that it will justify all the troubles and hardship of the exile. Today, draw a line, make a difference, add in goodness and kindnesses as we march towards a perfect world.
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