Hope... is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for

“Hope... is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles.” Thus wrote Samuel Smiles, a man whose name itself was a testament to the spirit of optimism he carried. In these words lies not a mere comfort for the weary heart, but a law of life as ancient as the dawn. For hope is no fragile dream — it is the seed of strength, the hidden spark that turns despair into endurance, and endurance into victory. The one who hopes does not simply wish; he creates, for hope is the very breath of creation.

In the shadowed days of human struggle, when all seems lost and the world turns its back, hope is the one companion that does not flee. She stands beside the fallen, whispering softly, “Rise again.” From her springs power, for no man can act boldly if he has already surrendered in spirit. Smiles, who lived in the age of iron and steam, saw this truth written upon the faces of the workers and inventors who built the modern world. They were not born into ease or privilege — many were men of humble birth — but within them burned the flame of hope, which gave them the power to move mountains of steel and ignorance alike.

Consider the tale of Thomas Edison, the child of failure and faith. Thousands of times he tried, and thousands of times he failed, in his quest to bring light from wire and glass. Others mocked him, calling his dream impossible, but hope was his constant ally. When asked if he had failed, he replied, “I have not failed. I’ve found ten thousand ways that won’t work.” Such words were not arrogance — they were the voice of hope, that divine confidence which knows that every setback is a step closer to triumph. And indeed, the miracle was born — not from luck, but from hope’s unyielding power.

For Smiles knew, as all wise men before him, that hope and power are twins of the soul. Power without hope becomes tyranny or despair; hope without power becomes fantasy. But joined together, they form the mighty engine of creation — the heart of all progress. It is hope that gives power its direction, and power that gives hope its hands. In every hero’s story, in every builder’s dream, these two march side by side, shaping the world anew.

Yet let it not be forgotten — hope is not idleness. It is not the sigh of the dreamer who waits for fortune to descend like rain from the heavens. True hope is active, restless, creative. It calls the dreamer to labor, the broken to rebuild, the fearful to act. The man who hopes becomes a vessel for miracles because he acts as though the impossible were already unfolding. His hope does not beg — it commands reality to change by the strength of his will.

O children of time, take heed of this truth: hope is the mother of success. From her womb are born the deeds that shape history. Every discovery, every act of courage, every empire of peace has sprung from the soil of hope. Despair kills more dreams than failure ever will, for despair says “It cannot be,” while hope whispers, “Try once more.” It is this whisper that separates the living from the dying, the conqueror from the conquered.

So, let your heart be a sanctuary of hope. When you wake, give thanks for the power that stirs within you. When darkness descends, kindle your inner flame, and say, “This too shall pass.” Work with faith, endure with patience, and hold your eyes toward the horizon — for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles. You need not see the end to take the first step; you need only believe that the dawn will come.

Thus, walk in hope, and you shall walk in power. Speak in hope, and you shall awaken courage in others. Live in hope, and your life shall become a beacon to all who wander in night. For hope, as Samuel Smiles taught, is not merely an emotion — it is the divine fire that turns ordinary souls into makers of destiny.