--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Funny how even a grain of hope can manage…" description: "\"“Funny how even a grain of hope can manage to eclipse a whole world of despair.”\" — Ann Tatlock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/ann-tatlock-43172_despair_funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manag_97039.jpg" --- # Funny how even a grain of hope can manage to eclipse a… ![“Funny how even a grain of hope can manage to eclipse a whole world of despair.” quote by Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/ann-tatlock-43172_despair_funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manag_97039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/ann-tatlock-43172_despair_funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manag_97039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/ann-tatlock-43172_despair_funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manag_97039.jpg) > ““Funny how even a grain of hope can manage to eclipse a whole world of despair.”” [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even a small amount of hope can outweigh and dominate overwhelming despair, showing the disproportionate power of optimism. **In simple terms:** A tiny hope can outshine despair. Key Takeaway Hope outweighs despair. Themes hope despair psychology Mood optimistic uplifting Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - mental‑health therapy - motivational speaking - personal setbacks Key Concepts resilience cognitive bias Practical Applications - cultivate daily gratitude - set micro‑goals to sustain hope Questions to Reflect On - What small hopes sustain you during tough times? - Can hope become unrealistic if not grounded? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Funny Grain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-grain-1187576/) [Grain Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grain-hope-1187575/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hope Manage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-manage-1187577/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-despair-1187574/) ## Related quotes > [Everything one records contains a grain of hope, no matter how deeply it may come from despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/everything-one-records-contains-a-grain-of-hope-no-matter-how-deeply/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [“Despair is the fuel of terrorism, and hope is the fuel of civilization, so we have to put more hope into the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/despair-is-the-fuel-of-terrorism-and-hope-is-the-fuel-of-civilization-2/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I turned to speak to God About the world's despair But to make bad matters worse I found God wasn't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/i-turned-to-speak-to-god-about-the-world-s-despair-but-to-make-bad/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [“It's despair at the lack of (I'm cheating, I didn't say all these things - but I'm going to write what I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/it-s-despair-at-the-lack-of-i-m-cheating-i-didn-t-say-all-these/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“If it were evenly distributed," said Rodman, "the example of justice in the world might lead at last to a sane world policy. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/if-it-were-evenly-distributed-said-rodman-the-example-of-justice-in/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [When we think of nothing our mind and heart are relaxed. But when we get hooked into a world of despair we're being drowned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/when-we-think-of-nothing-our-mind-and-heart-are-relaxed-but-when-we/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“It's despair that so few of us care. It's despair that there's so much brutality and callousness in the world. It's despair that perfectly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/it-s-despair-that-so-few-of-us-care-it-s-despair-that-there-s-so-much/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“The twenty-first century is a key century for us on this planet. Either we make a world, where all seven billion people have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/the-twenty-first-century-is-a-key-century-for-us-on-this-planet/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair or fucking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pain-or-damage-don-t-end-the-world-or-despair-or-fucking-beatings-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Enlightenment is the only real antidote to the world's despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/enlightenment-is-the-only-real-antidote-to-the-world-s-despair/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [For many in our high-paced world, despair is not a moment; it is a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/for-many-in-our-high-paced-world-despair-is-not-a-moment-it-is-a-way/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [It's despair at the lack of feeling, of love, of reason in the world. It's despair that anyone can even contemplate the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/it-s-despair-at-the-lack-of-feeling-of-love-of-reason-in-the-world-it/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [This is the first time in history that a war has involved the whole world, and also it may last many years more; this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/this-is-the-first-time-in-history-that-a-war-has-involved-the-whole/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) ## More by Ann Tatlock > [“But then what do you do?" "I pray for strength." The words were simple, straightforward. Josef pushed against the floor with one foot and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/but-then-what-do-you-do-i-pray-for-strength-the-words-were-simple/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) > [“There's a story unfolding with a definite beginning and an eventual end, and even though we can't begin to imagine what the whole plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/there-s-a-story-unfolding-with-a-definite-beginning-and-an-eventual/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) > [“There's one thing you need to understand," Larry said. "We love because God first loved us, even in the face of all our unloveliness."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/there-s-one-thing-you-need-to-understand-larry-said-we-love-because/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) > [“There is so much of suffering that I will never even begin to understand. But I am content in believing that I don't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/there-is-so-much-of-suffering-that-i-will-never-even-begin-to/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) > [“You see, Novelka, in an odd sort of way, some of our strongest relationships are with people who have died. We miss the person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/you-see-novelka-in-an-odd-sort-of-way-some-of-our-strongest/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) > [“I only know that one day you wake up and realize it doesn't hurt quite so much. Until then you can put yourself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/i-only-know-that-one-day-you-wake-up-and-realize-it-doesn-t-hurt/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) > [“People look for greatness only in the extraordinary and completely overlook the wonder of the ordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/people-look-for-greatness-only-in-the-extraordinary-and-completely/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) > [“Here's the paradox. We can fully embrace God's love only when we recognize how completely unworthy of it we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/here-s-the-paradox-we-can-fully-embrace-god-s-love-only-when-we/) [Ann Tatlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) [Explore all 9 Ann Tatlock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) [Louaiq8](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louaiq8/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Funny how even a grain of hope can manage to eclipse a whole world of despair.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ann Tatlock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manage-to-eclipse-a-whole-world-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despair" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manage-to-eclipse-a-whole-world-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/ann-tatlock-43172_despair_funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manag_97039.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/ann-tatlock-43172_despair_funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manag_97039.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/ann-tatlock-43172_despair_funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manag_97039.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Funny how even a grain of hope can manage to eclipse a whole world of despair.” — Ann Tatlock", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ann Tatlock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-tatlock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Funny how even a grain of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manage-to-eclipse-a-whole-world-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-tatlock/funny-how-even-a-grain-of-hope-can-manage-to-eclipse-a-whole-world-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```