Imagine the chant of hope beating in our hearts

Imagine the power of millions of minds and hearts united along the shore of a river of benevolent feelings for the whole world.

It lasted only one minute and 27 seconds. But it felt as if thousands of men, women, and children were merged and united in an inexplicable lightness of being during those 87 seconds. There was laughter, applause, and mesmerizing cries of joy. But above all, there was hope. A gigantic breath of hope that filled the hearts of millions of Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans. It happened on 8th April 2024 at exactly 3:26 pm local time. A total solar eclipse. A rare event that takes place only once or twice every 100 years. No one on its knees, no God to pray to. Just the sun and the moon showing the power of natural greatness.

Like everyone else, I was wearing special sunglasses and felt this unexpected emotion when the day turned into night, right in the middle of a sunny afternoon in a public park nearby. I could not explain what had just happened. The collective feeling of surrendering to something so much greater than the sum of us? The joy of hearing nature chanting the silent sound of beauty in front of our eyes? Or simply the fact that for this brief moment, there was a tremendous sense of hope in humanity?

Hope comes from faith in the self, in others, and in God. Life comes with hope because it comes with a future. The new will grow and the old will eventually die. There is hope in growth. Our hearts can also grow. Our conscience can grow.

For us in Montreal, on that day it was like a Kumbh Mela. All the parks were packed, every public space was invaded by millions who wanted to witness the moon dancing with the sun in a beautiful light show.

When we all come together for such a sacred moment, I hear the voice of John Lennon whispering these lines we play over and over during Christmas and New Year Season.

“Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one”

Imagine the power of millions of minds and hearts united along the shore of a river of benevolent feelings for the whole world. Imagine what we could achieve with the energy that such an ocean of souls could produce when aligned with the same thought. If we all focus on love, on peace. Of course, it would require going beyond the limited desire of only fulfilling one’s own wish or limited needs. A Kumbh Mela of love! Maybe if we all come united in front of the Supreme Sun of Love… maybe we can eclipse the bad omens and the darkness in the heart of mankind. If we can unite hundreds of millions by the sacred rivers with the hope of purifying the soul, can we not unite just as many and fill the hearts with spiritual and determined hope for the benefit of the whole of humanity?

“A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world”

The chant of hope. We can hear it in the heart of a crowd united with a pure dream. One person alone can make an enormous difference in history. And many have done it. But it often needs a collective manifestation, supported with concrete actions, to bring the dream of that one person into reality. So, let us imagine the chant of hope beating in the hearts of all those who come to the sacred rivers, seeking a pure heart for humanity. You may think I am a dreamer…

Hope comes when we see what is good and beautiful in others. Not comparing. Not competing. Not complaining. Just being determined in seeing the greatness of every soul.

Giving up on hope is giving up on the self and others. Hope comes from faith in the self, in others, and in God. Life comes with hope because it comes with a future. The new will grow and the old will eventually die. There is hope in growth. Our hearts can also grow. Our conscience can grow.

This is where hope shines. Expanding our hearts and embracing each and every one, to create a brotherhood of men, women, and children. The darkness in the world is only temporary and is meant to be replaced by the light of a higher conscience that purifies the heart; a conscience filled with hope.

This is the hope that sings in my heart when I see millions gathering by the banks of the sacred rivers. And even if that song sometimes lasts only 87 seconds, I know it will echo in the hearts of millions, for more than a hundred years.

Eric Le Reste was a producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for more than 35 years. He coordinates the Brahma Kumaris’ centres in Canada and is based in Montreal.