I was originally going to title this post, “Hope is a Double-Edged Sword.” But then, I remembered how much of a cliché that would be. And upon remembering how much of a cliché that would be, I decided to unpack the cliché itself. And that’s when I realized the cliché itself makes no sense.

So here’s the thing. A “double-edged sword” refers to something that has both favorable and unfavorable consequences. But how does a sword with two edges represent something both favorable and unfavorable? It’s sharp and cutting on both ends. If anything, it would represent something with two unfavorable consequences — or two favorable consequences, if sharp and cutting is your wheelhouse. Either way, the metaphor doesn’t work.

A steak knife, on the other hand, is smooth and harmless on one end, and serrated and sharp on the other. That is a far more accurate representation of something that has both favorable and unfavorable consequences.

And with the most pedantic blog post intro out of the way …

Hope is a steak knife. It’s now been over three weeks since my mom went into cardiac arrest. Physically, she is stable, and it doesn’t seem like she’s going to crash now. At least, not anytime soon (we hope).

Yet, she still hasn’t shown any overt signs of consciousness. And so, the waiting continues. At this point, we have to plan for the long haul, because it’s clear my mom’s situation isn’t going to be resolved anytime soon.

We have hope. And of course, that’s a good thing. At the same time, the waiting and uncertainty is an awful feeling.

And that’s why hope is a steak knife.

Speaking of steak knives …

I found a restaurant nearby that serves an 88-ounce steak for four to six people. Before I leave, I’d like to roll in by myself and order that.

To … uh … represent hope.