The Road That Hope Builds

 

Dear Reader,

Today while working at our AA Service Center, I met a young man who arrived lost and nearly in tears. As one of our members spoke with him, gently encouraging him to attend a meeting that evening, I watched something remarkable unfold — the first glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. Within moments, it began to shine through his face and radiate through his whole being.

It reminded me of a time when I, too, came through those same doors — uncertain, broken, and searching. I also thought of the early members of AA, who had no text, no Twelve Steps, and no roadmap. They had to forge their own way, creating the path we now walk so freely. Their courage and persistence built the very road of recovery on which so many now find their footing.

Lin Yutang once wrote, “Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.”
Hope is not a place we find—it’s a path we create. It becomes real only when many walk it together. The road of recovery, faith, or service does not preexist; it is formed by footsteps—by those who dare to believe, to serve, and to keep going even when the way isn’t visible.

A reflection from Hazelden expresses the same truth: “Try to do your day’s work the way you believe God wants you to do it, never shirking any responsibility and often going out of your way to be of service.”
Faith is not merely belief; it is action. Each act of service, each small willingness to go out of our way, paves another stretch of that unseen road. Through consistent work done “the way we believe God wants,” we become co-builders in the divine process of hope.

Each path we follow, even when we stumble, is not a detour—it is the very terrain upon which steadfastness is born. The apostle James expressed this beautifully:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4)

So what do we gain by walking the path of hope?
We discover that divine strength is always available, even when unseen. As Moroni testified:
“Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” (Ether 12:6)

Reflective Thought:
Faith is the daily act of walking where no path exists, trusting that each small step—every kindness, every trial met with courage—lays another stone on the road of hope for those who will come after us.

What example can you find in your daily experience, as I found this morning?
Amen.