-hope springs eternal -

It seems almost unnatural, how hope can make its way into the most depressed of moments in an individual's life. You could be chainsmoking on the porch, peering at the gloomy sky above you, and darkly pondering the decidedly hopeless (sic) outlook before you (metaphorically speaking). And then hope - in the form of these almost unobtrusive, sneaky, guilty-looking thoughts - creeps up to the top of the metaphorical heap (of other thoughts). And they seem so rational, these little thoughts - so rational that you don't immediately dismiss them as token daydreams; so rational that you can gather some strength from just thinking them. Of course, you still haven't done anything - metaphorically or otherwise - but you feel more upbeat nonetheless. I suppose that the big step into major depression is when the source of these gnomelike thoughts dries up.

P.S. Introspection's bad for you. :P