What The Neverending Story Teaches us About Hope

One of the most haunting moments in The Neverending Story is the final confrontation between Atreyu and Gmork, the wolf-like servant of the Nothing. Atreyu, battered and weary, demands to know why the world is falling apart. Gmork, lurking in the shadows, reveals a terrible truth — Fantasia is being consumed because people in the real world have stopped believing in it. Their dreams have withered, their imaginations dulled, their hope extinguished. “People who have no hopes are easy to control; and whoever has the control has the power,” he tells Atreyu.

It is a chilling thought, but not an unfamiliar one. Oppressive systems thrive when people believe their voices don’t matter, that change is impossible, that the world is broken beyond repair. Hopelessness is a tool of control, an erasure of possibility. When we surrender hope, we surrender our power.

This is why hope is not just an emotion — it is an act of defiance. And in a world that often feels like it is unraveling, holding onto hope is more urgent than ever.

Hope Is Not Naïve

Hope is often mistaken for wishful thinking or blind optimism. It is easy to dismiss as unrealistic, foolish, or even dangerous. But real hope is not about ignoring the world’s problems — it is about facing them head-on and choosing to believe in the possibility of change anyway.

In my work as a minister and spiritual advisor, I’ve spent time with people who had every reason to despair. I’ve walked with those condemned to die, sat with asylum seekers who had no country to call home, and worked alongside communities where food insecurity is an everyday reality. And yet, in these spaces, I have encountered hope in ways that remind me of the deep resilience of the human heart:

A man on death row who spent his final days painting pictures of a sky he could no longer see, gifting them to those who had stood by him.

A refugee who, holding the first meal he’d had all day, shared half of their sandwich with a stranger who hadn’t been able to find a shelter bed.

There was a mother standing in a food bank line, tired and worn, who saw another mother struggling and took her hand.

Hope, in these moments, was neither grand nor triumphant. It was simple, quiet, and steady . These moments of resilience, connection, and love remind me that hope is often found in the smallest, most ordinary acts of humanity.

Hope does not mean we ignore injustice. It means we refuse to let injustice have the final word.

The Danger of Hopelessness

Those who benefit from the world staying exactly as it is often want you to feel powerless. Hopelessness convinces people that their actions won’t make a difference, that resistance is futile, that cruelty and suffering are inevitable.

When we lose hope, we stop fighting for justice. We stop showing up. We accept things as they are instead of imagining what they could be.

Hope is dangerous to the status quo because it keeps us moving forward. It fuels activism, it builds community, it allows us to envision a world beyond what currently exists. That is why hope must be cultivated, nurtured, and fiercely protected.

How to Hold Hope in a Hopeless World

Holding hope is not about passively waiting for things to get better. It requires practice, action, and intentionality. Here are a few ways to cultivate hope when everything around you feels overwhelming:

1. Recognize When You’re Being Told to Give Up

Pay attention to who benefits when you feel hopeless. Media narratives, political rhetoric, and even well-meaning friends can reinforce the idea that change is impossible. But history shows us otherwise. Every major social transformation — from the end of apartheid to civil rights victories — began with people who refused to believe the lie that things could never change.

2. Choose Small Acts of Resistance

Hope thrives in action. You do not have to change the world overnight, but you can take small, meaningful steps toward justice. Speak up, show up, volunteer, vote, support marginalized communities, write, create, advocate. Every act of love and defiance pushes back against despair.

3. Find Hope in Community

Hope is not an individual pursuit; it is a collective practice. Surround yourself with people who remind you that another world is possible. Whether it’s a faith community, an activist group, or a circle of friends who share your values, find people who will hold hope with you when you are struggling to hold it on your own.

4. Let Love Be Your Guide

When I walked with my friend Ramiro Gonzales in the final days before his execution, I knew the outcome was not going to change. And yet, I chose to stay. Love compelled me to be present, to bear witness, to offer the only thing I could in that moment — companionship. Even when the ending is certain, love is still worth offering. And love, in its purest form, is an act of radical hope.

The World Is Only Lost When We Stop Imagining

In The Neverending Story, Fantasia is not completely destroyed. A single grain of sand remains, holding the possibility of rebirth. It is small, fragile, almost imperceptible — but it is enough. It is a reminder that as long as there is even a sliver of imagination, a sigh of belief, a trace of hope, the world can be rebuilt.

The same is true for us. The world is only lost when we stop imagining a different one.

Hope is not easy. It is not sentimental. It does not promise victory. But it is what allows us to keep showing up, to keep working for justice, to keep believing that even in the darkest times, something new can be born.

The greatest resistance against oppression and fear is refusing to give up.

So what is one act of hope you can commit to today?

Hi! 👋🏼 I’m Rev. Bri-anne. You can also find me on BlueSky and Instagram, or serving the fine folks of East End United Regional Ministry.
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