False hope is surely the agent of despair. But true promise is the road to life. The fantastic future which cloaks a miserable present can choke what remains of our spirits. But the life of true hope, the honest and earnest vision of glory, which can look almost the same as the false vision, is essential to good life in the tough, frustrating world. The difference is not on the surface but in the heart, and in the fruits of the feeling.
True hope leads to real and effective action.
It brings a person into touch with daily reality. It creates energy and renews kindness. It seeks help and gives help. Fantasy feeds misery and selfishness. It hides despair and results in hopeless actions.